


Eating for Two

by SpaceCakes



Series: Lovers of the Valley [1]
Category: Stardew Valley (Video Game)
Genre: Domestic Fluff, Established Relationship, F/M, Family Fluff, Fluff and Humor, Friendship, Pregnancy, Romantic Fluff, Tooth-Rotting Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-16
Updated: 2020-07-22
Packaged: 2021-02-28 04:41:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 14
Words: 28,803
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22747993
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SpaceCakes/pseuds/SpaceCakes
Summary: "Positive. That’s what the test read. She was pregnant. Or at lest the stick thought so."Sebastian and Luna are expecting their first child. Both nervous and excited, they had no idea the pregnancy itself would be a roller coaster of emotions.
Relationships: Minor Sam/Penny (Stardew Valley), Sebastian (Stardew Valley)/Original Female Character(s), Sebastian/Female Player (Stardew Valley), Sebastian/Player (Stardew Valley)
Series: Lovers of the Valley [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1834942
Comments: 34
Kudos: 184





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Just some self indulgent domestic fluff. I'm a sucker for it and Stardew is perfect for it. I have more chapters prepared, so hope you enjoy.

Two red lines. The sight alone was enough to make the woman’s stomach do flips. Whether that was out of dreed or excitement she couldn’t tell. She tried to swallow but her mouth was too dry. She took a deep breath trying to calm herself, a wave of mixed emotions washing over her. Excitement, dread, and dizziness.

Positive. That’s what the test read. She was pregnant. Or at least the stick thought so. Surely it could be wrong. Sure, she was late, but that could mean anything. Stress maybe? And sure, she was feeling more nauseated at the mere sight of sushi, (her absolute favorite food) made her want to puke, but that could be a coincidence. Yup, just… pure chance. Absolutely.

She sighed to herself in defeat. There was no other way around this. She had to be pregnant. The proof was _literally_ right there on the little white stick she held in her hand. It’s not that she didn’t want to be pregnant. No, on the contrary. Just the thought of having a baby around made her giddy. It’s just that… it felt almost too good to be true. Like any minute now she’d wake up and realize it was all just a dream. She even pinched herself subconsciously just to make sure. _Ouch!_ Yup, not a dream. The tips of her lips twitched into a half-smile. She was going to be a mom. _They_ were going to be parents! Oh… that’s right. She had to tell her husband, Sebastian.

_Husband_. That thought still made her smile. They were married for a year and a half now and she’d still giggle like a lovesick schoolgirl when she thought about him.

Almost in a daze, her body moving on its own, she made her way out of the bathroom into their shared bedroom. Her husband laid in a heap of blankets, completely dead to the world. He had been getting better at waking up early, but he had worked overtime last night trying to finish a project before its deadline. He hadn’t gone to bed until four in the morning. It was currently past noon. She felt a bit guilty about disturbing him and even almost retreated, but the excitement was overwhelming, and she just had to share it with someone.

Sitting on his side of the bed, she ran her fingers through her husband’s jet-black hair, lightly singing his name.

“Seb- _as-tian_ ~” She whispered lightly, her fingers messaging his scalp. He hummed in his sleep but made no attempts to wake up. A ghost of a smile tugged at his lips.

“Wake up, it’s almost one.”

He didn’t respond, just sighed, and buried himself deeper under the covers.

She tried to hold back a chuckle. “Seb.”

“Luna.” He mimicked her, trying to hold back a yawn. He sat up with a stretch. “I’m up.” He mumbled; eyes still captured in sleep. “I’m up, just… give me a minute.”

Luna sighed lights of amusement dancing in her green eyes. She stood to her feet, trying to hide a smile, “How does pancakes and coffee sound?” She asked, already heading to the door.

“Sounds good.”

* * *

Sebastian didn’t consider himself an expert in reading people, but he did consider himself an expert in reading his wife Luna. She was an open book. For that reason, she was awful at keeping secrets. Just one look at her face and he could tell she was excited about something. She was trying to play it cool, biting her lips to try to hide a smile, eyes looking everywhere but at him. He found her in the kitchen, flipping pancakes, humming an unfamiliar tune while the smell of coffee filled the room.

The golden retriever, Honey, lifted her ears as he entered the kitchen, and Sebastian placed a finger to his lips signaling for her to stay quiet. The dog complied, laying her head back down as though she understood his quiet request. Sebastian snuck his way over to his wife, wrapping his arms around her waist, and giving her a tender kiss on the nape of her neck. She squeaked in surprise.

“I swear,” She huffed, “I’m going to put a bell on you one of these days.”

He chuckled, kissing the tip of her ear before moving over to pour himself a cup of coffee. Sitting at the kitchen table, he took a sip of the warm, bitter drink, before looking over at his wife. She looked lost in thought, lips puckered in thought, eyes dazed.

“What’s up.” He asked.

He must have spooked her because she flinched slightly, looking over at him in confusion.

“Huh?”

“You alright?” His eyebrows knitted together in concern.

“Yeah.” She answered a bit too quickly, making herself wince.

“You sure?”

“Mm-hmm.” She hummed as she set a plate of strawberry pancakes in front of him, not meeting his gaze. Not suspicious at all.

They sat at the table in silence, Luna barely touching her food, leg bouncing. She was nibbling her bottom lip and Sebastian had to hide a snort. Whatever secret she was hiding, she looked like she was about to burst. It was kind of adorable.

“No coffee?” He gestured toward her cup of orange juice.

“Huh?” She was caught off guard by his question before realization hit her features, “Oh, yeah, no I’m… taking a break off coffee…”

“Hmm…” He took another sip to hide his amusement. Yup, she was awful at keeping secrets. He didn’t have the heart to tell her how obvious she was.

Luna cleared her throat, grabbing his attention, finally looking him in the eye, a wave of seriousness washing over her gentle features, “Um… so…” Her voice trailed off, eyes searching his face as though she was going to find the words she was searching for there. Another deep breath, “Alright. I’ll just say it.” Her voice was barely a mummer, Sebastian was unsure if he even heard her at all.

“Sebastian, I’m pregnant.”

A second of silence passed. Then two seconds. Then three. Then—

“Huh?” He answered dumbly, not quite sure he understood her.

She bit back a sigh, “I… I took a pregnancy test…” She paused to make sure he was still following her, “And it was positive. And um… my period is… late so…”

Sebastian abruptly stood to his feet, making his way over to his wife, engulfing her in a hug.

“You’re pregnant.” It was more of a statement than a question, as though he was trying to convince himself.

“Yes.” Luna tried to bite back a giggle, nibbling on her bottom lip.

“We’re having a baby…” His voice trailed off, still holding her tight.

“Yes, Seb.” She didn’t try to hold back her laugh this time, finding his reaction adorably precious.

He pulled her back holding her by the shoulders, eyes full of awe and wonder. His eyes drifted to her flat stomach, voice still low and gentle, “I’m going to be a father.”

“Uh-huh.”

“Luna, that’s great!” He kissed her forehead, hands still on her shoulders.

She smiled, melting into his gentle kiss. She felt giddy. Eyes bright, she was practically glowing. So many preparations had to be made, but she decided to enjoy the moment. She was excited to add a new occupation to her ever-growing list.

A farmer, a wife, and now a mother to be.


	2. Chapter 2

The ride to the Zuzu City clinic was a long one. Sure, they could have easily just gone to Harvey’s clinic, but Sebastian thought otherwise. See, there was the chance he’d run into Maru, who would then tell Robin, who’d tell Jodi who’d tell Caroline who’d tell Abigail, who’d tell Sam. And Sebastian just wasn’t in the mood to deal with that quite yet.

“But wouldn’t you have to tell your mom eventually?” Luna had asked.

“Yes, but I’m not ready to deal with her smothering yet.”

In all honesty, he was mostly just uncomfortable with the idea of being the center of attention. This was the same guy who just wanted to elope privately rather than have a huge wedding ceremony of course. His wife (then fiancé) Luna and his mother had other ideas of. They eventually came to a compromise; a small summer beach wedding with only their closest friends and relatives.

It took much convincing on Luna’s part to take the motorcycle to the city.

“I’ll be fine Seb, I’m not even big yet.”

“We could just take my mom’s car.”

“Wouldn’t she be suspicious about why you’d want to take her car to the city in the middle of the week?”

“Um…”

“And this early in the morning too?”

“Umm…”

And that’s how they ended up taking the bike to the Zuzu City Clinic. The waiting room was eerily silent, save for the sound of a clock on the wall that was an hour behind. The air was thick with the artificial smell of an air freshener. Sebastian sat near a water cooler, leg bouncing as he played a game on his phone. Meanwhile, his wife Luna refused to sit, deciding to stand by the door, staring a hole into the carpet. She was a bundle of nerves, and she was trying her hardest not to pace.

Finally, a middle-aged man with a white coat and name-tag entered the room, clipboard in hand.

“Mr. and Mrs. Barry?” He called, eyes searching the room.

“That’s us!” Luna nudged her husbands’ knee as she adjusted her purse. He only grunted in response as he stood to his feet placing his phone and hands into his pocket.

* * *

Luna stared at the ultrasound pictures in pure awe. The doctor only confirmed what they already knew. She was indeed pregnant. Four weeks in fact. The baby was the size of a grain of rice and could barely be seen in the pictures, but that didn’t stop Luna’s eyes from lighting up at them.

She had taken a lot of pregnancy pamphlets and was reading up on everything she could get her hands on. They were both exhausted by the time they got home, both laying on the couch in the living room, TV playing a re-run of Queen of Sauce.

Sebastian had his head resting on Luna’s chest, eyes closed, breathing even. She tried to get a quick nap in too, but her excitement won out and she went back to reading the pamphlets. The one she was currently reading was titled “What to Expect During Your First Trimester.”

Her stomach growled and she grimaced in embarrassment. Letting the pamphlet fall to the floor, she patted her husband’s head in a weak attempt to wake him up.

“Seb, I’m hungry and you’re heavy.”

His eyelashes fluttered; the telltale sign he wasn’t sleeping. She scoffed in mock annoyance.

“Sebastian! I have to make dinner. Aren’t you hungry?”

“Just get a pizza from the saloon.” He groaned.

“Well one of us will still have to move.”

There was a silence at this realization before Sebastian got up with an unsatisfied moan.

“Alright. I’ll go get it.” He stretched before standing to his feet. Before he could collect his thoughts there was a knock at the door. He looked over to Luna who looked equally as surprised.

“You weren’t excepting someone?” He asked and she shook her head.

He made his way over to the door, opening it just a crack, a familiar mop of blond hair there to greet him.

“Sam?”

“Seb!” Said the blond, shoving open the door as he entered the house, “Where have you been? I’ve been calling you all day!”

Just then a flash of purple was seen at the front door, head poking into the house.

“Hey, Luna!” Said the mop of purple.

“Hey, Abby. Hungry?”

“Starving.”

“About to go pick up a pizza. Wanna come?”

“Sure.”

Without another word, Luna walked over to the door, giving a quick kiss to her husband’s forehead, and disappearing out the door, Abigail in tow.

Sam didn’t seem to miss a beat, sitting in one of the chairs in the living room.

“It’s Friday.” He simply said, and Sebastian suddenly understood.

Right. Pool night.

“It uh… slipped my mind.”

Sam simply shrugged, “It’s fine. You usually don’t show if something’s up, and you weren’t answering so I just wanted to check on ya.”

Sebastian stretched, trying to shake off the last bit of sleep. “Gonna make coffee. Want anything?”

“Got any Joja Cola?”

Sebastian rolled his eyes. He was convinced his friend was the only person in all of Pelican Town who enjoyed that trash they called a drink, “I doubt it, but I’ll check.”

Sebastian went into the kitchen, turning on the coffee maker before opening the fridge. It was practically empty. Time for some grocery shopping. Coincidentally, there was one can of Joja Cola. Just as he was about the reach for it, the sound of his name caused him to jump, hitting his head inside the fridge.

“Shit, Sam.” He grumbled, heading to the living room, head sore.

“Seb!” Sam sounded almost frantic.

“What?”

Without words, Sam shoved a piece of paper in his face and it took Sebastian a minute or two to figure out what it was. His eyes widened in realization _. What to Expect During Your First Trimester_ was written in thick bold colors, a stock photo of a generic-looking couple smiling at each other holding a pregnancy test. Oh right, the pamphlets. He forgot about those.

Sam was looking at Sebastian with wide eyes, practically vibrating with unanswered questions.

“Is she—?”

“Yeah…” Sebastian rubbed the back of his neck. No point hiding it.

Sam’s face lit up, “Really? How long? Boy or girl? I hope it’s a girl! When’s she due?”

“Four weeks. Too early to tell. Sometime in October, maybe?”

“Oh-em-gee!” Sam threw his arm around Sebastian’s shoulder, “Congratulations! Imagine! A tiny Seb or Luna!” He gasped, “They can call me Uncle Sam!”

“Just…” Sebastian rubbed his neck, cheeks red in embarrassment. “Keep this between us okay? We’re planning on telling everyone but… give us time, okay?”

Sam nodded his head so vigorously; Sebastian was surprised his friend didn’t get whiplash.

“No problem, my lips are sealed.” He motioned locking his lips and throwing away the invisible key with his fingers. “But man! This is exciting!” He wiped away a fake tear, “My babies are growing up! I’m so proud!”

Sebastian rolled his eyes, a ghost of a smile decorating his features. “Whatever Sam.” He gently punched his friend in the arm.

The boys were interrupted by the squeak of the front door, and a soft “I’ve brought food!” From Luna. The small girl was carrying two boxes of pizza, while Abigail had a six-pack of beer. Sam had rushed over, grabbing the boxes of pizza and carrying them over to the kitchen table.

“Lemme help you with that Luna!” He exclaimed, giving her a not so subtle a wink.

“Oh!” Luna let out a soft surprised gasp at the kind gesture, “Thank you, Sam.”

Abigail raised an eyebrow at her blond companion, “You seem to be in a good mood.”

Sam shrugged nonchalantly, but his sparkling eyes betrayed him, “I’m always in a good mood for pizza.”

Luna eyed Sebastian, and he gave her his _“I’ll tell you about it later”_ look.

The rest of the night was full of pizza, laughs, and a game of Smash Bros. The only game Sam and Sebastian seemed to be equal, every match being extremely close, both winning and losing a few matches. A few empty beers, rematches, and pizza slices later, Sam and Abigail gave their goodbyes to the couple. As said couple were washing dishes together, Sebastian told Luna about how Sam knows.

“And you said I’m bad at keeping secrets.” She snorted.

“Technically, this is on you.” He said almost smugly.

“What?” She arched an eyebrow, both curious and confused.

“You left the pamphlet on the couch, so technically he found out because of you.”

With a mock gasp, Luna flicked some dishwater at her husband, “That's such a reach!”

“But I’m right!” He shielded himself from her watery assault with a plate.

She rolled her eyes and bit back a smile, not wanting to give him the satisfaction of getting a giggle out of her, deciding instead to throw more bubbles at him.


	3. Chapter 3

It had been two months since Luna and Sebastian discovered the news and the pregnancy symptoms hit her like a truck.

Before, the symptoms were mild. Nausea happened rarely; weird cravings non-existent. But almost overnight things began to change. It started when she cried for a solid five minutes because she couldn’t find the cheese grater to make a cheese omelet. She turned the kitchen upside down looking for it, but to no avail. Sebastian tried his hardest not to laugh at the sight of his wife on the kitchen floor surrounded by pots and pans in tears.

He was able to find it in the dish rack with the other freshly washed dishes, and she just gave him the blankest stare. He couldn’t hold back the laugher after that.

The triumphant moment of finding the cheese grater was short-lived, however. The very smell of the cooked eggs made the young woman’s stomach turn and caused her to run off to the bathroom to puke. Sebastian decided to make her a fruit salad instead.

The poor thing couldn’t keep much down, the sight and smell of some foods alone made her run off to the bathroom to empty her stomach.

“I’m pretty sure it’s a girl,” Luna said out of nowhere one day. She was seated on the loveseat, looking at nothing in particular on tv while Sebastien sat at the coffee table on his laptop catching up on freelance work.

“What makes you say that?” He asked, not taking his eyes off his computer screen.

“Well,” She adjusted herself, placing a pillow behind her neck, “I heard that boys are easier to carry. And girl pregnancies make you puke a lot.”

He couldn’t help but snort at that. “That sounds like one of those myths old people tell you like if you make a face too long it’ll get stuck like that forever.”

“It’s a girl.” Luna said confidently, “I can feel it.”

“Okay, Luna.”

“No really! I’m 100% sure it’s going to be a girl.”

“Mm-hm.”

“You don’t believe me.”

“Sure I do.”

The conversation ended with a pillow to the face.

* * *

Sebastian tugged the edge of his bangs, Adam’s apple bobbing as he thickly swallows. His finger hovered over the doorbell, as though he was frozen in time.

Okay, so it wasn’t like he rarely ever visited home—he visited every Friday in fact. But this felt… different. Something about standing outside his childhood home, pregnant wife at his side, and Tupperware full of blueberry tarts in hand with a plan to announce to his mother that she’s _finally_ going to be a grandma just felt surreal. But he was sure his mother was going to be ecstatic—she had been asking about grandkids the moment she learned about the engagement.

No, what he was most worried about was the parade of attention that was going to come from this. Being the first among the younger residents to get married was a huge deal, the town was abuzz with excitement over the news for months. He knows the moment the news about a baby was out, the floodgates were going to burst wide open. To Sebastian, a man who enjoyed keeping his privet life, well, privet, this was a nightmare. It was one of the biggest downs of living in a small town. Your life just became the source of the latest gossip.

Sebastian was brought out of his thoughts by the sound of the doorbell that he most _definitely_ didn’t ring. His eyes darted to the culprit, an innocent smile decorating her pretty, tan face, chestnut curls bouncing as she turns her head away. Her green eyes had a glimmer of mischief behind their innocent facade.

“Luna.” He whined.

“Sebastian.” She mimicked teasingly.

“I was collecting my thoughts.”

“It’s just lunch with your mom, Seb. It’ll be fine.” She patted his shoulder in reassurance smiling at him. That gesture just made him want to go home even more. The thought of being wrapped up in a comforting blanket burrito style while his wife played in his hair. Yeah, that sounded good. Maybe it wasn’t too late to turn back now. Maybe he got lucky and his mom didn’t hear the doorbell. Yeah, she probably wasn’t home. Doesn’t she chop wood in the forest sometimes? Maybe—

“Oh! Sebby! Luna! It’s so good to see you!”

—Yoba was just laughing at him.

“Hey, Robin!” Luna beamed, completely oblivious to her husband's inner dilemma. 

Robin didn’t hesitate to pull the couple into a bone-crushing hug. Pulling away, she caressed her son’s cheek with a smile, “I haven’t seen you two in a while.”

“I was just here last week mom.” He couldn’t help the chuckle that escaped his throat.

She smiled brighter at that, “I know honey, but I haven’t seen you with Luna in a while.”

“Sorry about that.” Luna rubbed the back of her neck sheepishly, a habit she picked up from Sebastian. “Ever since you added that basement, I’ve been kind of busy. The farms practically become a winery.”

Robin ushered the two into the house, taking the Tupperware of homemade tarts. “I’ll take this to the kitchen. Do you want coffee with this?”

“Yes,” Sebastian answered all too quickly while Luna wrinkled her nose.

“If it’s not too much trouble, I’ll just take some tea please,” Luna asked almost timidly.

“That’s no problem hun.” Robin smiled softly at the woman before disappearing down the hall and into the kitchen. Despite practically being adopted into the family, Luna still was reserved and a bit shy, albeit not as shy as when they first started dating.

“I’m pretty sure my mom likes you more than me.” Sebastian had teased her after she had dinner with his family as his girlfriend for the first time. She remembers laughing and lightly pinching him on the arm. Feels like it was just yesterday.

Sebastian snuck an arm around her waist and kissed her temple.

“It’s just lunch with my mom.” He repeated her words she had said to him earlier. “It’ll be fine.”

Luna huffed, “Weren’t you nervous a minute ago?”

Before Sebastian could give a well thought out comeback, his mother’s red hair popped into the door-frame, a bright smile decorating her soft face. Her smile only grew even more dazzling at the sight of the intertwine couple.

“C’mon lovebirds, lunch isn’t going to eat itself.”

Luna giggled as Sebastian rolled his eyes, but he also couldn’t hide the small hint of a smile on his face. They made their way to the kitchen, where they found sandwiches and strawberry shortcakes.

“I bought your strawberries at Pierre’s.” Robin gushed, taking a seat, “Best strawberries I’ve ever tasted!”

Luna smiled at the compliment, also taking a seat alongside her husband, “Oh wow. Thank you, I’m glad you enjoyed them.”

Robin took a long sip of her coffee, eyeing the couple with playful suspicious eyes. Finally, she said, “So, what is it?”

Both young adults’ eyes widen, looking to each other for answers before chuckling nervously.

“What’s what mom?” Sebastian cursed himself for the slight crack at the end of his statement.

Robin shook her head in amusement, “Last time you guys scheduled lunch with me it was to announce your engagement. You both also look so nervous and Sebby’s a lot paler than usual.” She placed her hot drink down and eyed the two with amusement. “Sooo, what is it?” Her hazel eyes narrowed, “It’s nothing bad is it?”

“No!” Both Luna and Sebastian exclaimed simultaneously.

Now, more calmly, “No, mom. Nothing bad. You don’t have to worry.”

The ginger visibly relaxed, her smile returning to her freckled face, “That’s a relief! Now then, spill it.” She leaned forward, elbows on the table, hands folded under her chin, eyes partially sparkling.

Luna looked over to Sebastian and he grabbed her hand in both comfort and reassurance. She gave him a soft smile before facing her mother-in-law.

“Um, Robin.” She tried to clear the nervousness out of her throat, “Me and Sebastian… well…” Luna pulled something out of her purse, handing it over to the woman in question. The ginger eyed the envelope, before taking it and opening it. Pulling out its contents, she discovered it was a card. On the front, in bold colorful letters, it read, “You’ve Been Promoted..”

Quirking an eyebrow in curiosity, she opened the card to a pop-up of words saying, “To a Grandma!”

It was silent as Robin processed the words written in colorful ink. Her eyes slowly widened, and she brought a hand to her mouth in silent shock, eyeing the couple in awe.

“You’re pregnant?” She questioned; voice soft with wonder.

Luna nodded while Sebastian just gave his mom the softest smile. The silence was shattered by the ginger’s shouts as she jumped to her feet with a delighted cheer. The couple jumped at the sudden noise. Robin made her way over to them, pulling them to their feet and crushing them in a hug.

“I’m so happy for you two!” She said, her voice slightly muffled, “This is so exciting!” She pulled away, eyes wandering to Luna’s tummy. “Do you know the gender? How far along are you?”

“We don’t know yet.” Sebastian pipped up.

“And I’m two months!” Luna’s voice was bubbly, clean of any nervousness she had before.

Robin’s eyes widened, “Two months?” She put her hands on her hips and eyed the two, “You managed to keep this from me for two months?”

The two looked at her sheepishly, eyes meeting each other in slight amusement. “It wasn’t easy.” Sebastian rubbed his neck.

“I never thought this day would come!” Robin gushed, “I still have Sebby and Maru’s old baby clothes!” She gasped, “And pictures! Let me go find them!”

“Mom, that’s not—” But before he could finish, she had vanished from their sights. Sebastian sighed as he ran his fingers through his hair.

Luna just laughed, hugging his arm with a gentle squeeze. “See,” She nuzzled her head into his side, “I told you. Nothing to worry about.”

Sebastian couldn’t hold back the snort, “You were nervous too.” He placed his arm around her waist and pulled her into him, giving her a soft kiss atop her head. She gave a content smile and wrapped her arms around him. They enjoyed each other’s company in the temporary silence, knowing full well Robin’s not going to be letting them go too easily anytime soon.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I remember my mom and grandma telling me that girls are more difficult to carry and give you bad morning sickness. Obviously that's just an old wives tales, but they've been right about every gender with every pregnancy in the family so I don't know anything anymore.


	4. Chapter 4

Of course, the town was elated to hear the news of the Farmer’s pregnancy. The news spread quickly, not to the couple’s surprise.

Emily had offered to make baby clothes, and when she heard about Luna’s awful morning sickness, she gave her homemade remedies to help ease her discomfort. They didn’t work, and the smell alone made the young woman nauseous, but she didn’t have the heart to tell Emily that.

Harvey seemed a bit upset that the couple didn’t come to him first, Luna having to reassure him that she was not upset with him, and yes she will try to make the next appointment at his clinic as soon as the moment arise.

The attention wasn’t as bad as Sebastian had expected. Though he could have gone without the hour-long one-sided conversation from Elliot about children’s book recommendations, and how he was just so inspired to write one and dedicate it to the baby. It wouldn’t have been so bad had it not been raining, and Sebastian wasn’t craving his quiet time.

Luna’s bump was, becoming a bit more noticeable. She was still tiny and was only noticeable when she wore tighter clothes. Sebastian would catch her on a few occasions staring at her baby bump in the mirror while getting dressed. He couldn’t resist wrapping his arms around her waist and kissing her cheek. She was a lot further along now. Four months to be exact. The two often found themselves spitballing names back and forth to pass the time. They’d like the name for a day, even write them down for safekeeping, before changing their minds the next day, setting them back to square one. They never realized they were this picky.

They were currently seated on the front porch bench, watching the rain pour. Luna was practically in her husband’s lap, head on the crook of his neck, the comforting sound of rain, and the warm embrace of her husband lulling her to sleep.

“I’d like to get a sidecar for the bike.” Sebastian had said.

Luna hummed, not quite asleep, not quite awake.

“Maybe when the baby’s older, the three of us could go for a ride.”

An image of a toddler that looked exactly like Sebastian, leather jacket and shades, riding in a sidecar, flashed through her mind and she couldn’t help but snort.

“That sounds too adorable.” She mumbled; voice laced with amusement. “Can we get them a cute motorcycle jacket too?”

She felt him chuckle at that, “Sure. Maybe some biker boots to go with it.”

“Our baby’s going to be a badass.”

Now it was Sebastian's turn to snort. “Of course. They’ll have _us_ as parents.”

“They’ll learn only the best swears from us.” Luna laughed, earning a chuckle from Sebastian.

They sat a bit longer, the rain relaxing the couple in comfortable silence. The fog of the rain mixed with the colorful crops on the farm made for a beautiful scene.

“Think of any good names yet?” Sebastian asked, interrupting the somber silence. 

“Nope.” Luna said, popping the ‘ _p_ ,’ “How about you?”

He leaned his head back in thought, eyes closed in concentration. He looked so tranquil. His hair was slightly curly from the humidity in the air, brows furrowed in concentration. Luna couldn’t help but admire his attractive profile. She loved seeing him so calm and at peace.

“Rayne.” He finally said, breaking her out of her love-struck stupor.

“Huh?” She blinked back in confusion.

He blushed, looking away, “Well… I was just thinking. The rain’s been… kind of a special thing for us.” He paused. Despite being married, for a year and a half, he’d still get rather bashful whenever he tried to open himself up, “We met in the rain… and I proposed in the rain.”

Luna smiled at the memories. They had met at the beach, the week after she’d just moved to Pelican Town. It had been raining, meaning her crops would be watered, but she needed to find a way to pass the time. She had decided to go fishing at the docks on the beach. That’s when she’d first met Sebastian. He was distant then. He hadn’t really left a good first impression.

_“Of all the places you could live, you chose Pelican Town?”_

She remembers him saying something like that to her. Hard to believe someone she thought to be so far away would be the man she’s currently sitting on the lap of. The man she’d promise her life to. The man who greets her with the softest of smiles whenever he saw her. The father of their unborn baby.

“You put a lot of thought into that name huh.” Luna smiled, giving her husband a peck on the cheek. “I like it.”

“Yeah?” He finally looked at her, brows raised in surprise.

“Yeah.” She sighed blissfully, “It’s got a nice ring to it.”

He smiled, resting his chin atop her curly brown hair. The two enjoyed the atmosphere of the peaceful rainfall in a comfortable silence a little while longer.

* * *

The strange occurrence happened when he woke up one night, his wife’s side of the bed empty. Looking over at the clock he noticed it was three in the morning. While it was normal for him to be up this early—rather it is due to a nightmare, buzzed off coffee, or simply staying up to meet deadlines—his wife was typically out like a light by nine. So, the fact that she wasn’t in bed worried him a bit.

He stumbled out of bed with the grace of a drunken gazelle, stumbling a few times, eyes still blurred with sleep. Making his way to the living room, he noticed the kitchen light was on. He followed it, eyes finally adjusting to the world around him.

Entering the kitchen, he was graced by the image of his wife at the kitchen table, a tub of strawberry ice cream in hand, the dog curled at her feet peacefully.

Luna was caught mid-bite, a spoon of the cold desert hovering inches away from her mouth. She looked like a child who'd just been caught with their hand in the cookie jar. He would have found the scene amusing if he weren’t so tired.

“Did I wake you?” She asked sheepishly.

It took Sebastian a moment to realize his wife had spoken to him, “No, but um…” He cleared his throat trying to sound more awake, “Why are you still up?”

“Couldn’t sleep.” She shrugged, trying to look nonchalant but Sebastian could see the slight embarrassment on her face. 

She had probably woken up with cravings for some strawberry ice cream and was hoping to sneak some in the middle of the night, her sleeping husband being none the wiser. Sebastian had originally thought the pregnancy cravings were just an exaggerated stereotype. He didn’t remember his mother experiencing them with Maru. But then again, he was probably too young to fully understand what a pregnancy even was.

Luna’s cravings weren’t too bizarre. She seemed to have developed a mild addiction to strawberries. Just the other day he had to stop her from eating her whole harvest of the fruit, so she’d at least have something left to sell Pierre.

With a sigh, Sebastian sat in the chair next to his wife, head plopped on the table. He heard a muffled giggle as she poked his ear.

“You can go back to bed.” She said. True. He could have. But he wanted her to be with him. He found her presence comforting. He also enjoyed how she’d cuddle with him in her sleep, but he was too shy to admit that aloud.

When her husband gave no sign that he was moving, Luna placed a spoon in front of him, her way of inviting him to join her, before resuming her ice cream binge. He looked at the spoon reluctantly, wanting to just carry his wife to bed and go back to sleep. But he knew she was stubborn, and he was mostly awake now, so he’d might as well indulge. Sighing in defeat, he picked up the spoon and joined his wife in demolishing the frozen desert.


	5. Chapter 5

The Luau may not have been Sebastian’s lest favorite festival—that would have to be the flower dance—but it most definitely wasn’t his favorite. For starters, it took place in the middle of the summer, which meant dealing with the scorching heat. To make it worse, for some reason _someone_ decided that making a hot soup on the beach in the blazing heat in the middle of summer was a good idea. As an added bonus to the recipe of bad ideas, everyone in town was expected to contribute an ingredient to the soup. On paper that sounded like a cute idea; the whole valley coming together to cook a meal they all could enjoy. Something, something, community, and togetherness. Unfortunately—or fortunately for the group of the then rebellious teens—the opportunity to cause mischief was just too appealing for certain troublemakers.

Sebastian thought back to those times in amusement. The year Sam got in trouble for putting anchovies in the soup, or when Alex snuck in a ton of hot peppers. Another time he remembered Pam spiking the soup. He couldn’t remember much of that year.

He remembers Luna’s first Luau. Something he noticed about her was that she was quiet and reserved when she wasn’t familiar with the person she was speaking to. Perhaps that’s what drew him to her in the first place. The two could just sit in a comfortable silence without it becoming awkward. Despite her quiet nature, Sebastian later learned that the young woman could be just as mischievous as him and Sam. Luna was just more subtle about it.

He thought back to Luna’s first Luau. Sam had suggested putting something gross into the soup. Luna looked at him, the smile never leaving her face, and said simply, “If we all end up with food poisoning, I’ll shave you bald.”

And Sebastian had done something he hadn’t done in a while. He laughed. It was just so unexpected. Her innocent smile had never left her face. He couldn’t tell if she was serious but judging by the decent tasting soup and lack of food poisoning, Sam probably couldn’t tell ether and didn’t want to test it. Sebastian couldn’t tell you if that was the moment that he fell for her, but it was definitely the moment he decided he at least liked her.

“What’s got you smiling?”

Sebastian was rudely brought back to the present by the sound of Sam’s voice. He hadn’t even noticed he had zoned out. Perhaps it was the heat. Or maybe Pam spiked the punch again. Either way, he didn’t appreciate being brought back to the burning hell that was the current weather. And he most definitely didn’t appreciate the fact that Sam had caught him smiling dumbly to himself. He had isolated himself from the rest of the festival, sitting under one of the trees on the beach. He wanted to give himself a break from socializing. Of course, Sam would have found him eventually. He always did.

“It’s nothing,” Sebastian mumbled, looking away in embarrassment. Unfortunately, Sam had caught on.

“Thinking about Luna?” He pretended to swoon, and Sebastian rolled his eyes.

“Shut up.”

Sam’s face lights up. “I hit the nail on the head.” He gracelessly plopped himself next to Sebastian, obviously not planning on leaving anytime soon, “Thinking about becoming a dad?”

Of course, that was always on the back of Sebastian’s mind. He wasn’t sure if he could explain the mixed feeling of excitement and nervousness, even to his best friend. He’d never thought he’d reach this part of his life. He thought he’d move to the city, get a job in programming while making an indie game on the side, and _maybe_ meet someone in the future. But life had a funny way of going absolutely nothing as you had planned. And for once, he didn’t mind.

Sam didn’t really need an answer. Sebastian’s silence and subtle smile spelled it out clear as day for him. Seeing Sebastian so lovestruck and happy was oddly contagious.

Sebastian, tired of being the center of attention, gave his friend a nudge, “And you?” He’d ask, corners of his lips twitching, “How’s it going with Penny? See a mermaid pendant in your future?”

He got the reaction he wanted. Seeing an embarrassed Sam was a rarity. He was a lively jokester who’d tease his friends relentlessly, so seeing the tables turn was a triumphant feeling.

Penny and Sam started dating sometime before Sebastian and Luna started their relationship. It was quite surprising to find out the town troublemaker had a crush on the resident teacher.

“M-me and Penny are taking it slow!” Sam sputtered. “Besides, s’not like we have a house or anything…”

Sebastian raised an eyebrow to that, “And… if you did?”

His only answer was silence and a flushed face. “Seriously?” Sebastian raised an eyebrow, genuine surprise on his face.

“I mean…” Sam started playing with the sand, eyes focused on nothing in particular, “Not _marriage_. But, moving in together… could be nice…” He all but mumbled, almost too low for Sebastian to even hear.

It was surprising to hear this coming from his goofy friend. “You could always commission my mom.” Sebastian offered.

Sam smiled at that, “Thanks, but I’ll need a lot of money for that.”

The two sat in silence, watching everyone converse among themselves. Luna had been whisked away by Robin and Jodi, practically being held, hostage. They were probably asking about the baby, giving her advice, or telling her stories about their pregnancies. Sebastian _could_ go over and save her. But the risk of being pulled into the conversation by his mom and being subjective to whatever horror stories they’re telling outweighed the motivation to help his wife. He mentally apologized to her. He could make it up to her later.

Eventually, Mayor Lewis called everyone over to watch the governor taste the potluck. It was decent according to the governor. Though Sebastian didn’t want to be the judge of that. He decided to get food at the buffet instead. In his honest opinion, it was just too hot to eat. Try as he might, he couldn’t take more than three bites off a turkey leg before losing his appetite.

He felt a familiar tap on his back. Turning, he was met with the exhausted gaze of his wife. He felt a small twinge of guilt.

“Your sister has traumatized me.” She stated flatly.

Sebastian blinked in surprise. “Huh?”

“She won’t stop telling me birthing stories.”

Oh.

"It started off fine.” Luna continued, piling food from the buffet on her plate, “But then she went on, started talking about health complications and emergency c sections.” She bit into a red velvet cupcake, taking a breath as though the sugary dessert was calming her down. “And then, your mom started asking if I thought about a water birth or natural birth. I don’t know, I’m trying not to think about that right now!” She huffed.

“I’m sure you’ll be fine Lulu.” Sebastian tried to reassure his wife, knowing she liked it when he called her by her nickname. “You’re pretty tough.”

She smiled at that, finishing the cupcake with a satisfied hum before picking up another. At least one of them was able to eat in this heat.

“Thanks.” Luna flashed him a soft smile between bites. “But I kind of wanna go home now. It’s so hot.”

At least they both seemed to have the same idea. He tried not to look too eager, “Sure. We could leave if you want.”

She gave him a knowing look. Of course, she’d realized he was growing uncomfortable and agitated from socializing. She knew him too well, and for that, he was so grateful. They said their goodbyes and collected their things before leaving the beach together. The walk home was slow. Something about the heat just made every movement feel like walking through jello.

Sebastian looked over to his wife who was working on her third cupcake. He couldn’t help but chuckle at the sight of frosting on the tip of her nose.

“Having fun there?” He said, wiping off the frosting with his thumb.

She looked up at him with a blank face, an unseen question behind her eyes before realization hit. She winced in embarrassment, “I’ve just been feeling so hungry lately.”

He nudges her with a lop-sided smile. “Makes sense.” He shrugs, “You’re feeding two people now.”

Luna’s brows crinkle, mouth forming an “Oh yeah.” Perhaps she’d hadn’t thought about it that way. Or perhaps she’s relieved he’s not judging her. He’d never of course. He may tease, all in good fun. But this is all so new to her. New to both of them. He still remembered how excited she was at the first kick. Woke him up, voice bright, almost as giddy as a child on the morning of the Winter Star. He was half-sleep, not really understanding what she was saying. So, she just wordlessly placed his hands on her belly, and he felt it. A kick. And another. He just looked at her in awe, not able to find the words to say. Instead, he placed a kiss on her stomach. She had giggled, not from the gesture itself, but because she found him so endearing. He relished at the sound.

Just something about feeling the baby move made it feel more real. Not that it hasn’t felt real before. The cravings, mood swings, and doctors’ appointments made sure to remind him how real this all was. But feeling the kicks through his wife’s stomach added a new layer to his reality.

They’d made their way back to the farm. It was closer to the evening, but neither of them felt like cooking dinner. Not that they need to. The food from the Luau should keep them full for both dinner _and_ breakfast.

They’re greeted at the door by Honey, the hyper dog wagging her tail and practically skipping as she ran toward them.

“Hey, there girl!” Luna practically sang, rubbing the pooch behind the ear. They made their way over to the couch, the dog following her practically glued at her side. She takes a seat and Honey lays her head on Luna’s knees.

Sebastian wonders if Honey knows Luna is pregnant. The dog has always been close to her, but the way she followed the pregnant woman around most days was almost protective. He smiled at himself with that thought. Honey was a sweet and gentle dog. He could easily imagine her getting along with a baby. The two of them playing on the beach or sleeping together in a toddler-sized bed. Come to think of it, they still haven’t put together the crib. The nursery was in disarray. Hadn’t even been painted yet.

He leaned his head back on the couch, letting his mind drift. There was so much to think about, so much to plan. He had to stop himself from being overwhelmed. _Just live in the moment_ , he thought to himself. He relaxed listening to the sound of Honey’s tail thumping on the hardwood floor and his wife’s playful voice.


	6. Chapter 6

It had been a long while since Sebastian had felt this overwhelming feeling of nerves and he hated it. He had thought it had gotten better. His life was better, he had no reason to feel this down, right? That’s what he kept trying to tell himself anyway. Luna would probably scold him for thinking that way. That woman could read his mood like a book. Which was exactly why he had jumped on his bike and took it for a ride. He loved Luna—Yoba knows he did—but he didn’t really want to bother her with his nonsense. He still felt a little guilty about leaving his pregnant wife, but he really needed to think. That’s how he ended up on the cliffside that overlooked the city. 

It started with a dream. Or rather, a dream of a distant memory. He didn’t have many memories of his father. He wasn’t even sure if it was a memory. Perhaps it started off as a dream, but he had it so often that he believed it was a memory. Either way, the fact that he had the dream in the first place had shaken him and he needed air to breathe and space to think. It was the same every time. His father halfway out the door, his mother right behind him, face wet with tears begging him to stay. He’d never seen his mother cry. Which was one of the reasons he wondered if this was even a memory. Of course, just because he’d never seen her cry didn’t mean she never did cry. She never talked about his father. He’d only asked about him once that he can remember. He was maybe no older than 12 or 13. The sad look on his mother’s face that she tried so desperately to hide behind a smile made him instantly regret it and he quickly changed the subject.

But truthfully, as he got older, he stopped caring about his father. The man left and never tried to contact them. It wouldn’t have been hard. Sebastian was practically born in that house in the mountains. The address never changed, so getting in contact with his son wouldn’t have been hard. No, what had Sebastian spooked was the fact that he really didn’t have a single positive father figure in his life. Of course, that wasn’t news to him. He’d already known that. But what struck up this thought was the fact that he was about to _become_ a father.

Luna was further along, now entering her second trimester. The two were debating if whether they should find out the sex of the baby or be surprised during birth. As much as he liked the idea of being surprised, he was also curious to see if Luna’s strong belief that it was a girl was true or not. He didn’t really believe her at first, but she was so adamant about it that he was starting to think she might have been onto something.

Then his mother had asked them about a baby shower. The couple hadn’t really put much thought into that, so of course, Robin took that as an invitation to plan one. Sebastian was starting to feel a bit overwhelmed. But that would have all been fine. He expected his mother to be excited. It was her first grandchild, and a year before all of this she was sure it was never going to happen. So, her going a little overboard was to be expected. No, what might have been the trigger for Sebastian’s overwhelming nervousness and the recent dream was probably Demetrius and his… indifference to all of this.

Sebastian and his step-father never really got along. Their estranged relationship did improve once Sebastian moved out. Okay, perhaps improvement wasn’t the right word. They went from arguing on the regular to just pretending the other didn’t exist, which might have been for the best. However, Demetrius’s lukewarm response to learning the news of the pregnancy did annoy him. It was the same way he responded to their engagement.

Sebastian never saw Demetrius as a role model of a father. If anything, he saw him as the shining example of what not to do. His own future child deserved better; he knew that. But he just couldn’t escape the fact that he had no idea what he was doing.

Sebastian was brought out of his dark thoughts when he felt a buzz in his pocket. Pulling out his phone, he cursed at himself when he saw the time. It was almost noon. Luna was probably starting to worry about him.

“ _You okay?”_ She had sent him a simple text. He smiled to himself, almost bitterly. He hadn’t meant to stay out so long.

" _Sorry_ ,” He texted back, “ _I just needed to think and lost track of time.”_ He read over the text a couple more times before adding, “ _I’ll bring home food to make up for it_.”

Her response was almost immediate, and he couldn’t hold back the smirk.

“ _You spoil me!”_ The bubbles that indicated she was typing didn’t disappear, so he waited for her to finish. _“Actually,”_ she sent a follow-up text, _“I want to show you something.”_

Oh? He wasn’t expecting that. He collected his things, pulling out his keys to his motorcycle. Placing his helmet on his head, he revved the engine to life and took off home. Though he did take a detour to the city to pick up some takeout. He was a man of his word after all.

* * *

He pulled up to the sight of his wife sitting on the porch bench, nose deep in a book. He didn’t have to read the cover to know what it was. She was obsessed with those pregnancy books as of late. Getting off his bike, he collected his things from the trunk and made his way to the porch. His wife’s eyes met his when he made it to the top of the stairs.

“Hey, you.” She greeted, turning the page in her book.

“Hey.” He greeted back, brandishing the bag in his hand, “I brought back Chinese. And…” He pulled a second bag from behind his back, “A Zuzu City Cheesecake.”

She looked up from her book at hearing that. The two went into the house, placing the food on the kitchen table. They set up their plates full of food, sitting across from each other, and ate in silence. But it wasn’t the comfortable silence he was used to and enjoyed. There wasn’t tension in the air either. This was more like the kind of silence that would eventually lead up to a string of questions. It wasn’t the first time Sebastian had taken off on his motorcycle when he needed to clear his head and think. But he didn’t normally stay out that long. He usually tried to come home at lest in time for breakfast. But he had gotten too lost in his thoughts and let the time get away from him. Luna might have seemed calm but perhaps he had worried her. He felt a bit guilty about that.

“So…” He trailed off trying to distract himself from his thoughts, “What was it you wanted to show me?”

She paused mid-bite; brows knit together in confusion. “Oh!” The realization hit her, and she sent him a sheepish smile, “That’s right! I wanted to show you something…” She trailed off as though she was giving it a second thought. The look on her face was suddenly serious and his stomach dropped. “But first,” Her green eyes were soft with worry, “are you okay?”

Sebastian took a breath to steady himself. He knew she’d ask. He just thought she’d wait a while.

“It’s…” He ran a tired hand through his hair with a sigh, “It’s silly. Don’t worry about it.”

That only earned him a frown, “It’s not silly if it’s bothering you.”

He knew she’d say something like that. He shook his head with a chuckle despite himself. He knew she wasn’t going to drop this anytime soon.

“I’m just…” He sighed, leaning back in his chair, food forgotten, “…a bit nervous.” He debated his next sentence in his head for a second before giving in and just blurting it out, “I had that dream again.”

Luna looked confused a second before the realization hit. He’d told her about this dream a long time ago. He didn’t have to go into detail about it, and for that he was grateful. 

“I guess I was just worrying… about if I’d be a good dad.” He confessed, “I mean, it’s not like I have any good role models.” He laughed bitterly.

Luna was silent. She was staring at him without really looking at him. Perhaps she was searching for the right thing to say. He liked to think he could read his wife like a book—and usually, he could—but when she was deep in thought like this her face was usually blank. Finally, her eyes went back into focus, finally looking him in the eye.

“I get it.” She said, giving him a sympathetic smile, “I remember I felt the same way… when we were engaged. I was so excited but also… well, you know about my parents.”

Sebastian nodded in understanding. He only really knew bits and pieces about Luna’s family. Her parents divorced when Luna and her sister were young. She never went into detail about it though. The fact that her own mother didn’t even show up to their wedding was all he needed to know about their relationship.

“Obviously my parents were pretty bad role models.” She chuckled, though it lacked the usual cheerful melody he adored so much. “I wondered if I’d be a good wife—”

“You are.” He smiled softly at her. Of course, she would understand where he was coming from. He felt a little silly now. This was all so new to both of them after all.

She laughed. A genuine laugh that made her face light up, “And you’re a great husband.” She held his gaze, eyes soft, “And I think you’re going to be an excellent dad.” Luna got up from her chair and walked over to sit next to him. She gave him a peck on the cheek and squeezed his hand, “Besides, we’ll work it all out together. Like we always do.”

He sighed contently to himself. He did feel a little better. He decided if he ever got trapped in his own thoughts again, he’d try to talk to her first. Letting his mind wander seemed to only make things worse.

“Thank you.” He smiled at her, giving her hand a gentle squeeze to let her know he meant it. They sat there a little longer, falling into that comfortable silence he enjoyed so much. He did feel a little better, for the most part.

“So!” Luna popped out of her chair, clasping and pulling his hand along with her, “I wanted to show you something!” He let her drag him along, up the stairs, and to the door of the nursery. The young woman was practically vibrating with excitement. “Okay,” She tried to calm herself down but was failing miserably. “It’s nothing big or anything, but maybe it could cheer you up.”

Now he was doubly curious. He didn’t remember her buying anything new for the nursery. Whatever it was she seemed quite proud of it.

Opening the door, he immediately understood why. She had painted the walls of the nursery but that wasn’t the only thing. On the walls were hand-painted cartoon frogs. Each frog seemed to have its own personality and doing something different. One frog was sitting on a lily pad watching another set of frogs play together. Another trio of frogs could be seen playing music together. It was honestly too adorable.

“You painted this?” Sebastian asked, impressed. He knew Luna liked to paint in her free time, but he wasn’t excepting her to paint a mural in the nursery. And the fact that she painted frogs when she knew he loved frogs just made it more endearing.

Luna excitedly nodded in response to his question, “Do you like it?”

He smiled at her with a nod, “Love it.” He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her into a hug as best as he could. Her growing baby bump did make that a bit difficult. “How long did this take?”

“A week.”

How she managed to hide this from him for a week he’d never know. He pressed a kiss to her forehead, and she hummed contently. She snaked her arms around his waist, and looked into his eyes with a playful smirk, “So,” She purred, and it almost sounded seductive. She batted her eyes, looking at him through her eyelashes, “About that cheesecake…”

That… was not what he was expecting her to say. He couldn’t hold back the amused laugh. He wasn’t surprised she didn’t forget about that. Her sweet tooth seems to have only gotten worse since she’d become pregnant.

They made their way back to the kitchen, each getting a slice of the creamy cheesecake. They found themselves lounging on the couch. The TV was on, but they weren’t really paying attention to it. Sebastian looked over to his wife. She wasn’t really paying much attention to her surroundings. She seemed too focused on demolishing that cake.

“Hey, Lulu?”

“Hm?”

“I love you.”

That seemed to catch her attention. She looked at him a little surprised at first before recovering with a smile of her own, “I love you too.” She adjusted herself, sitting more comfortably next to him, laying her head on his shoulder. “And the baby’s going to adore you too.”

That statement sent a gentle warmth through Sebastian’s body. He just loved how she was able to do that. Did she know what she did to him? Always managing to put his mind at ease. Maybe she did it subconsciously. Or maybe she knew exactly what she was doing and just did a good job hiding it. Ether way, he loved her for it.

The young couple enjoyed the silence, the tv nothing more than white noise in the background.


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is kind of dialogue heavy, woops. I don't know why I had the hardest time writing this chapter. I proof read this as best I could, but if you spy any mistakes please let me know.

The waiting room in the clinic was exciting. Not because the room had anything special—on the contrary, it was as eerily quiet and sterile as any other waiting room. No, what had Luna bouncing with excitement was that today, they were finally, _finally_ going to find out the gender of their baby. She and Sebastian were debating for the longest if rather they wanted to be surprised at the birth or if they wanted to find out sooner. They changed their minds about it almost daylily. Eventually, they agreed that they’d never have the patience to wait that long, and their mutual curiosity won out. That’s how they ended up making an ultrasound appointment at Harvey’s clinic.

Normally their appointments were quick. However, today George and Evelyn were in for their monthly check-up, which left Luna and Sebastian out waiting. The minutes felt like hours for the jittery couple. When the door finally opened, they felt a rush of relief, before a wave of confusion hit them both.

“Maru?” Luna raised an eyebrow.

“Hey, you.” Sebastian greeted his little sister, though he did look equally confused.

“Hey to you too!” She said ecstatically, “Dr. Harvey is kind of busy today, so I’ll be doing your check-up today.”

“Oh, that’s great!” Luna looked to her husband and he gave her hand a squeeze.

They entered the examination room, Maru setting up the equipment they would need. These checkups were pretty much routine by now, the young couple coming in every two weeks. They’d come in, check Luna and the baby’s health, and get asked questions. Today they were doing pretty much the same. After checking Luna’s blood pressure, measurements, and position of the baby, Maru gathered the equipment for the ultrasound.

“Are you guys excited?” Maru asked as she spread the gel-like substance on Luna’s belly. She winced at the cold sensation. No matter how many times she did this, she felt like she’d never get used to that feeling.

“Yeah.” Sebastian looked over at Luna, giving her a smug smile, “Luna hasn’t sat down all day.”

“Don’t act like you’re not as excited as me.” Luna teased, “You haven’t stopped fidgeting since this morning.”

Maru just rolled her eyes with a smile at the teasing couple. She always found their banter amusing. It was nice to see her brother come out of his shell.

Placing the device on Luna’s stomach, she moved it around in search of the baby. Which would have probably been a lot easier if said baby wouldn’t stop moving. It was like the baby knew very well what they were doing and was determined to be as uncooperative as possible. Maru could already tell the baby’s stubbornness was from Sebastian.

“Be still baby,” Maru mumbled.

Luna just chuckled, “That’s the thing, this baby never stops moving.”

“Well rest up while you can.” Maru smiled, “Because I can already tell she’s going to be a handful.”

“Yeah, she—” Luna caught herself, choking on the last word that left her lips. It took a while for the couple to catch what Maru just said. A second passed. Then another. Then—

“Wait,” Sebastian was the first to speak up, “Did you say ‘she’?”

“That’s right.” Maru’s smile grew into a smug smirk.

“So, it’s—”

“It’s a girl?” Luna had finally recovered from her temporary stupor. She was just as surprised as Sebastian and had taken a bit longer to recover from the realization. 

“Yup.” Maru said, popping the “p.”

Luna’s eyes met Sebastian’s and the two held a privet conversation only the two of them seemed to understand. Luna’s eyes, sparkling in amusement, read, _see? I told you!_ While Sebastian’s only response was a playful nudge.

Maru didn’t understand the unspoken conversation, but she wasn’t really paying much attention. She was just too excited at the thought of having a little niece to spoil.

* * *

Luna truly never realized how much she enjoyed sleeping on her back and stomach until she was pregnant. She already came to terms with saying goodbye to sleeping on her stomach, but she truly underestimated how difficult it would be to sleep on her back. It wasn’t just uncomfortable; it was downright nauseating. It was like her baby was sleeping on her spleen or kidneys. And she probably wouldn’t mind sleeping on her side so much if it didn’t lead to her having a crick in her neck for the rest of the next day.

She had brought this up with Harvey during one of her checkups. He had recommended getting herself a pregnancy pillow. He mentioned how it should help with supporting her neck and back during sleep and something about blood circulating? She wasn’t paying attention; she was busy making a mental note to order this pillow asap. Hell, if Harvey had told her that eating poppy seeds in the woods at 6 am would help her sleep through the night without any aches or pains, she would have done it, no questions asked. She was _desperate_.

So, when the pillow finally arrived, she was in heaven. Finally, she woke up feeling refreshed and bright-eyed, instead of dead and stiff. Yes, the pillow was a blessing for Luna, but for Sebastian…

For one, the thing took up too much of the bed. He would often find himself rolling over and getting a face full of pillow. And second… well, he was too embarrassed to admit this out loud, but he quite enjoyed it when Luna would subconsciously cling to him in her sleep. It was comforting and sweet, and he just loved waking up and seeing her in his arms. But that damn pillow…

No, no, _no_. He was not jealous of a _pillow_ of all things. That was ridiculous. He knew that. But he couldn’t deny that he missed her warmth. Just having her near him, being able to kiss her forehead if she was in the middle of a nightmare. And now he couldn’t do that as easily because of that _damn pillow._

Luna didn’t really seem to notice at first. She was blissfully unaware of her husband’s disdain for her new cuddle companion. One night, however, she did notice the slightly annoyed look on his face. The two were getting ready for bed, and Luna was already secure in her pillow. Sebastian was climbing into bed next to her, giving said pillow a side glance.

“Are you jealous of my pillow?” She had said, only meaning it as a joke. But when she saw the slight pout on Sebastian’s face. She froze. “Wait… really?”

His silence was her only answer. After a short beat, she did the only thing she could think to do. She laughed. She couldn’t help it.

“Luna…” He tried to sound firm, he really did, but it did come out a bit like a whine. He couldn’t help but wince. It was silly and he knew it.

“Okay, okay…” She calmed her laughter with a deep breath. A few snickers escaped her lips, “I’m sorry. I didn’t know you were feeling left out.”

“It’s… fine…” He tried to sound nonchalant, but he knew she didn’t buy it.

“Do you want to join me?”

That… caught him by surprise.

“Huh?”

Without another word, she flipped the pillow behind her, scooting closer to him. She turns so her back is on his chest. Understanding what she wants, Sebastian laid his head in the crook of her neck, wrapping his arms around her waist. By sleeping with her back to his chest, Luna was still able to sleep with her pillow while also being close to her husband.

“Better?” Luna murmured; voice slightly muffled from her pillow.

Sebastian just hummed in response, eyes already feeling heavy. He couldn’t tell if it was her warmth, the smell of her shampoo or just her presence. Maybe it was a combination of the three. But it was always easier to fall asleep whenever she was near.

“Better…” He mumbled as he drifted away to sleep.


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sometimes, I feel like I wrote too much fluff. But then I remember that's the entire point of this fic, so I keep it.

Luna was at that stage in pregnancy where everyone was treating her like glass. She couldn’t really blame them, not really. She was starting to get huge, and she couldn’t stand for too long. Walking started to feel more like a chore, and she found herself out of breath after doing the bare minimum. She just felt more exhausted than usual. And to make things worse, she couldn’t work on the farm anymore. Luna and Sebastian knew it was coming sooner or later, but she wasn’t expecting it to be this hard!

“Don’t pick up anything heavier than a bag of flour.” Dr. Harvey had instructed the couple at one of their appointments. Truthfully, Harvey knew how much of a workaholic Luna could be. He didn’t want her to overexert herself. So no heavy lifting, and no overzealous activity. And boy, did Sebastian never let her forget it.

It had been the last day of summer. Luna was sitting on her front porch swing, a cool glass of iced tea in her hand. Her leg was bouncing as she watched her husband harvest the summer crops, beads of sweat rolling down his face. He had long abandoned his hoodie in favor of a muscle tee, but even that was soaked. Luna might have found the site attractive, had she not felt slightly annoyed.

“C’mon Seb.” Luna whined pathetically, “Lemme help just a little!”

“Bag of flour,” Sebastian said simply. He’d bring it up every time Luna felt restless.

“There’s no way those crops are heavier than flour!”

He didn’t answer. Instead, he simply picked up a melon and showed it to her, to prove his point.

Luna rolled her eyes, “Melons don’t count.” She pouted, “I could just… water the crops instead.”

“Luna,” Sebastian sounded tired, as though the two have had this argument before. They probably have, but the overwhelming heat didn’t allow him to recall. “This is the last day of summer. What are you going to water?”

“The corn?” She answered lamely.

“You have sprinklers.”

Luna didn’t know how to respond to that, so she opted to pout instead.

Sebastian decided to take a break from harvesting—and teasing his pregnant wife—and sat on the porch bench next to her. He was red, out of breath, and soaked with sweat. Luna offered him the rest of her iced tea, and he gleefully took it. Not even taking time to breathe, he swallowed the drink in one gulp.

“Jeez,” He hissed, gasping for air, “You did this every day? Willingly?”

“Yup.”

“It’s so hot.” He whined, “I just know I’m going to be sore in the morning.”

“You get used to it after a while.” She laughed.

He pulled a face, causing Luna to laugh even harder.

“We could just—” Before she got the chance to finish, Sebastian shook his head, dismissing her concern.

“No, Luna. It’s fine. You should just relax.”

Luna frowned, “But I’m sure you’ve still got your own work to do right?” He didn’t answer her. She sighed, “I don’t want you to overwork yourself.” She couldn’t help it, but she felt a bit guilty. It wasn’t either of their faults really. Sebastian was just trying to help, but she couldn’t fight off the feeling of being useless.

“It’s fine, Lu,” Sebastian tried to reassure her, “I could just do my work at night. Wouldn’t be the first time.”

She tried to smile at that, but the guilt shone through, “But—”

“Luna.” He gave her hand a squeeze, voice firm, “It’s fine. You just focus on not overworking yourself.”

That shouldn’t be too hard. If only because Sebastian never seemed to let her be. She wanted to appreciate it; she really did. But it only made her feel more frustrated with herself. She wasn’t used to being dependent. She moved out when she was eighteen to live on campus, and financially supported herself by working a part-time job. It wasn’t that she didn’t value the fact that Sebastian was helping her out. On the contrary, she loved him to bits for it. But she couldn’t deny that it made her feel just a little incompetent.

It didn’t help that she felt more forgetful every day. She had believed pregnancy-brain was just a myth. She was so very wrong. Luna found herself burning meals more frequently lately. She’d get sidetracked with laundry, or cleaning. Then she’d smell smoke and realize too late that her dish was ruined. She had even cried about it too, much to her embarrassment. Goodness, she felt like she’d cry about almost anything now. She had run out of a bag of chocolate-covered chips the other day and was nearly brought to tears. She didn’t even _like_ chocolate-covered chips! It was like her body was betraying her.

Luna kept most of her feelings of discomfort to herself of course. She had already unnecessarily worried her doting husband when he found her crying over an empty bag of chips. He probably thought she was losing her mind. Perhaps she was. She couldn’t tell.

That evening, Sebastian found himself in their shared bed, laptop in hand, but no Luna insight. He hadn’t thought much of it at first. Perhaps she was watching tv, or in the bathroom. But checking the time, he was more than a little surprised to see it was almost two in the morning. Sighing to himself, he took one long gulp of his coffee before making his way out of bed. He noticed a long time ago that Luna only came to bed late when something was bothering her. And knowing her, it’ll be like pulling teeth trying to get her to tell him what was wrong.

With a sigh, he made his way out of their bedroom. Scanning the Living room and kitchen, he figured she must have been in the only other room in the house. He made his way to the nursery, where he was graced with the image of his wife on the floor, pile of baby clothes beside her, as she folded and organized away. He leaned against the door-frame, watching her for a bit. She hadn’t seemed to have noticed him. He cleared his throat to catch her attention.

“Luna,” Sebastian’s voice was careful. “Why are you up so late?”

She looked up at him, genuine confusion on her face, “It’s not that late.”

Sebastian raised an eyebrow, “It’s two a.m.”

That seemed to have caught her by surprise. “No…” Her voice was light and confused, “It’s only nine, right?”

Sebastian shook his head slowly, as though he was unsure himself. Luna reached for her pocket and pulled out her cell phone. Low and behold, it did in fact read out in bright light, _2 AM_.

“Oh… I’m sorry…” Luna sounded almost embarrassed, making Sebastian feel a bit guilty.

“It’s fine.” He tried to sound reassuring, “I lose track of time all the time. It’s no big deal.”

That statement, for some reason, only made her feel worse, “No, I mean…” She averted her gaze, deciding to look at the carpet instead, “I’ve just been so forgetful lately.”

Oh! Is that what was bothering her? “It’s fine Luna.” He made his way to her across the room and plopped down next to her.

“It’s not fine.” Her voice was eerily calm. “I nearly burnt the kitchen down again…” She still refused to look at him. “And now I’m forgetting the time…” A sniffle was the only sign he got that made him realize she was crying. _Shit!_

“Hey…” He lifted her chin in his direction, but her eyes still never met his. She had always found her crying embarrassing and hated doing it in front of others. Even her own husband. The fact that she was doing it more often irritated her even more. It would just wash over her at the most inconvenient times. And once she started, it just wouldn’t stop!

“I’m sorry.” Luna breathed through a sob, “You’re probably tired of me.”

“Never.” Sebastian gave her a reassuring smile, but that only seemed to make her cry even worse. Well... Okay…Don’t panic. Just try and calm her down. But that was easier said than done. “Luna,” He decided to pull her into a side hug, resting her head on his shoulder, “I can never be tired of you.”

“Well, _I’m_ tired of me!” Her voice came out muffled. She had buried her face in Sebastian’s shoulder.

He tried to keep in the snort, he really did, but it escaped him without his permission. He heard Luna scoff, “Are you laughing at me?”

“No...” He cleared his throat, “I’m sorry.”

She finally, _finally_ decided to look him in the eye. She didn’t miss the glimmer of amusement behind his otherwise neutral expression. “No, you’re not!” She said as she pinched his arm.

That seemed to make him break his façade, as he let a deep guffaw escape his lips. “Yeah...” He sighed, still a little dazed in his laughter, “You’re right.”

Luna huffed, hiding her face in her husband’s shoulder again, “You’re so mean to me.” She tried to sound serious, but he didn’t miss her teasing tone.

He hummed, simply stroking her hair. He didn’t mean to tease her, but he was happy it seemed to have brought her out of her funk. If only for a little while. “Yeah, I kind of am, huh?” He kissed the top of her head. “Want me to make it up to you?”

She didn’t give him a reply, only peeking one eye at him warily. He didn’t need her to answer, however. He could practically feel the stress radiating off her. He knew she needed a break. Slowly, he helped her stand to her feet, and lead her out of the nursery. They made their way into their bathroom. Luna threw him a curious look. Sebastian simply smiled, before asking, “Where do you keep your bath soaps?”

“Under the sink?” She answered, gears in her head finally starting to turn.

Without another word, he went under the cabinet sink, and there he saw an array of liquid soaps. He pulled out two bottles, “Which one?”

That seemed to have caught her off guard, as she blinked back in surprise. “Um… I guess… lavender?”

He didn’t say another word, making his way over to the tub and ran some warm water.

“Are you…” Luna’s voice trailed off before she cleared her throat, “…Running me a bath?”

Sebastian simply just hummed his response. That seemed to have put Luna at ease, as he heard her releasing a shaky sigh. “Thank you.”

He shrugged, “It’s fine. It’ll probably help you sleep better—”

But Luna interrupted him with a shake of her head, “No, not just this. I mean…” She bit her lip bashfully, “Thanks for everything. I feel like I can be so frustrating to deal with.”

He gave her a lopsided smile at that. “You’re doing fine.”

Perhaps he hadn’t realized just how badly she needed to hear that. It just felt so reassuring coming from his lips. It was so simple, but it meant a lot. She felt a pinch in her eye. She nibbled her lip to hold back tears. She _refused_ to cry again!

Sebastian didn’t turn off the water till it was warm and sudsy. He stood to his feet and gave his wife a once over, “Alright, you can get in now.” But before he could even think of leaving, Luna grabbed him by his sleeve. She gave him one of her smiles that always instantly put him in a good mood.

“Stay with me?” She asked simply.

“Luna…” He answered lamely. He couldn’t say no to her when she was giving him that smile. He was pretty sure it went against the laws of the universe.

“Please?” She pleaded, “You should relax too!”

He pretended to ponder her offer, eyes looking to the ceiling as though he was in deep thought. Finally, he relented, “Okay, fine.” He sent her a teasing smile, “Since you can’t seem to go on without me.”

That earned him another pinch and a giggle from his wife, “Oh really?” She eyed him with playful skepticism, “I’m not the one who was jealous of a pillow.”

Sebastian winched at the embarrassing reminder, “Alright, that’s enough,” He engulfed her in a hug, his lips capturing hers in a kiss. Truthfully, he just wanted her to stop teasing him. It seemed to work. The two didn’t say another word, as they relaxed for the rest of the night. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Originally, I planned for this fic to be 9 chapters. Because, pregnancy fic, nine chapters/nine months? Yeah, looking at the story outline, this fic might be longer than that, oops.


	9. Chapter 9

Luna’s relationship with her family had always been rocky. Or, more specifically, her mother. She hadn’t taken the news of her quitting her job at Joja to run her grandfather’s farm very well. “You’re throwing your life away!” Were one of the many words she had thrown at her the last time they spoke. At the time, she remembers how much that hurt. How those words burned her. But it was probably the first time Luna had ever decided something for herself. And she never did regret it.

Life in Pelican Town was peaceful, and her farm was booming. She was happily married and was about to have a baby with the love of her life. She had never really thought she’d be where she was today. She did debate to herself if she should invite her mother to the upcoming baby shower. She was sure her father and sister were coming. They said so themselves. Luna did ask them to send an invite to her mother. Lola, Luna's sister, did seem to hesitate on the phone, before giving a non-committal, “I’ll try.” Luna tried to pay it no mind.

Currently, Luna and Penny were in the kitchen on the farm, baking cookies. The baby shower Robin was planning was tomorrow, and Penny wanted to do something special for the event.

“We can give away boxes of cookies as a thank you gift to guests!” Penny had exclaimed. She looked so sweet and excited about it; Luna couldn’t say no. Penny’s cooking was… questionable at best. But, Luna figured, with a little supervision, perhaps the outcome would be better. At least, she hopped. After more than a few failed attempts, the two finally settled on a rhythm. Luna would bake the cookies while Penny packaged them.

“So, Luna!” Penny started. She was currently packing the cookies neatly into little red gift boxes, with a neat little bow. On the bow were labeled with the names of each guest. “It must be so exciting!” Penny’s bright green eyes matched her vibrant tone.

“The baby shower?” Luna questioned, stirring a bowl of cookie dough. She had snuck a chocolate chip into her mouth while Penny wasn’t looking. She felt like a child again, but she couldn’t help herself.

“No,” Penny said, pausing for a second. “I mean yes, that too,” She answered sheepishly. Her excitement in her voice returned, “But what I meant was being pregnant!”

Penny was a family-oriented person who adored children. She took it upon herself to help Jas and Vincent with their education. No one had asked her to. She simply did it out of the kindness of her own heart. It was something Luna found quite admirable.

“How are you feeling?” Penny smiled curiously. “Nervous? Excited?”

“Little bit of both,” Luna answered, now rolling up the dough into individual balls and placing them on the cookie sheet.

“I can imagine.” Penny was looking out of the kitchen window, eyes distant, lost in thought. A ghost of a smile graced her lips. “It must be a wonderful feeling.” She whispered to herself, low enough for no one to hear. It didn’t go unnoticed by Luna.

“Penny,” She placed her hand on her hip, and gave her red-headed friend a teasing look, “Don’t tell me you have baby fever!”

Penny ducked her head, cheeks bright red. Her silence spoke volumes. Luna couldn’t help but smile at that. “Have you and Sam talked about that?” Luna nudges Penny in the arm, but that only seemed to make her cheeks burn brighter.

“Oh, no!” She squeaks in embarrassment, “I don’t even know if Sam’s ready for a baby, I’m just—”

Luna just giggled, giving Penny a reassuring pat, “Relax, I was just teasing.”

That seemed to have made Penny relax. She went back to boxing cookies, while Luna placed the next batch into the oven. “Sam has been working hard lately though.” Penny’s voice broke the routine silence. Meeting her eyes, Luna can see a sense of pride in the woman’s eyes. “He already told you about his new contract, right?” Penny says, voice light in her dream-like state. That caught Luna by surprise.

“What contract?”

That seemed to knock Penny out of her stupor. She almost looked embarrassed, “I thought you already knew!”

“Knew what?”

Penny bit her lip, before taking a breath, trying to boost her confidence. After a few seconds, she sighed, “Okay, I’ll tell you. But you must act surprised when Sam tells you, okay?”

Luna hesitated for a second in confusion, before nodding in agreement.

“Sam got a music deal for this children’s tv show.” She admitted, too quickly. Luna almost didn’t catch what she said. When the words finally caught up with her and settled in, she couldn’t help the burst of excitement in her chest.

“Wait, really?”

Penny just nodded, face beaming with pride. It was so cute seeing her like that. Penny's excitement about her boyfriend’s accomplishments was just too precious. And hearing about Sam’s new deal made Luna so proud.

“He was upset at first,” Penny stacked the gift boxes full of cookies on the counter, “Didn’t want to work on a kid’s show. But I told him it’s a good start. Plus, it’ll look good on future resumes.”

“That’s true.” Luna agreed. She was working on the next batch of cookies, adding more chocolate chips to the mix. Was there such a thing as too many chocolate chips? Certainly not.

Giving the mixing bowl another stir, the two were interrupted by a knock at the door. Honey, who had been asleep on the couch, got up from where she laid and ran to the source of the knock, sniffing under the door, tail wagging.

“Just a second!” Luna called out, sneaking another chocolate chip into her mouth before making her way to answer the door. She figured it might be Sam or Abigail. Wouldn’t be too surprising for the two to come over for cookies. She was surprised to find that it was neither of them.

“Lola?”

Lola Beverly, Luna’s twin sister, stood at the front door, shopping bags in hand. The two shared the same mass of tight chestnut curls, and the same rich sun-kissed skin. Lola’s hazel brown eyes were hidden behind designer sunglasses. Her high-end and pristine clothes clashed with the simple and rustic feel of the valley. She was a city girl, through and through.

“Lu-Bird!” Lola exclaimed, taking off her sunglasses to get a better look at her pregnant sister. “Look at you! You look so adorable!” With that, she leaned into Luna for a hug.

“I thought you weren’t coming until tomorrow?”

Lola smiled, “I lied!” She said nonchalantly, “I wanted to be the first to see you.”

The sound of someone clearing their throat caught the two woman’s attention. Turning back, Penny was still standing in the kitchen, removing her apron. She smiled at the two sisters before saying, “I should get going.”

“You don’t have to go, Penny.” Luna tried to reassure her, but Penny just shook her head.

“I’m sure you two have a lot of catching up to do.” She grabbed her coat and headed for the door, but not before giving Luna a hug goodbye on the way out. The door now locked and closed, the two women make their way to the living room, Lola taking a seat on the sofa. Honey followed the two, making herself comfortable at Lola’s feet. Luna made her way into the kitchen, grabbing one of the cookie gift boxes. “Guess you’ll be getting your box early, Lo.” She said, heading over to the couch her sister was sitting on.

“Aw, how sweet!” Lola took the box and placed it into the shopping bags she had with her. “These,” She gestured to the bags, “Are baby Rayne’s presents. But you’re not allowed to peek.”

That only made Luna smile. Of course, her sister would be the type to spoil her niece. She still remembered her sister’s reaction to her pregnancy announcement. It was over a video call. She had wished to tell her sister in person, but she always seemed to be busy running her own business. Her sister owned a clothing shop in Zuzu City, and it always seemed to keep her busy. It never seemed to bother Lola though.

“So,” Lola interrupted Luna’s thoughts, “Where’s Sebastian? I feel like I haven’t seen him since the wedding.”

“He’s...in his office working,” Luna answered, “I practically had to force him to focus on his own work. He’s been doting on me a lot lately.”

“As he should,” Lola said without missing a beat.

Luna scoffed, “You’re not supposed to take his side, you traitor!”

Lola simply shrugged, “Have you seen yourself? You look like you’re about to pop! I’d be upset if he wasn’t doting on you.”

Before Luna could protest, the sound of the bedroom door opening caught their attention. Out stepped Sebastian, empty coffee cup in his hand. He had on a black tee and pajama pants; hair pushed back out of his face. He’d only ever did that when the computer lights were bothering his eyes. Said eyes looked like they were caught off guard at the sight of Luna with her twin.

“Hello, Sebastian!” Lola greets enthusiastically. She was either oblivious to Sebastian’s surprise, or she didn’t care. If Luna knew everything she needed to know about Lola (and she did) it was probably the latter. “I felt like I haven’t seen you since… was it the wedding?”

Sebastian’s face went back to its typical stoic expression. Although, Luna had known him long enough to know what’s going on behind that apathetic expression. He looked tired. Like he needed a break. Perhaps that's why he came out of their room.

“Yeah, I think so,” Sebastian answered, making his way to the kitchen to fix himself a fresh cup of coffee.

Lola gave Luna a look that she knew all too well. It was usually the face she reserved for when she wanted to inflict intense teasing on her ~~not so~~ innocent sister, “Luna told me you’ve helped her out with farm work.” Lola didn’t give him time to answer, “She can be so stubborn sometimes! The fact that you got her to relax at all…” Lola wiped a fake tear, playing up the dramatics, “I applaud you. Yoba _himself_ wouldn’t be able to get that girl to sit down.”

Sebastian just gave an amused huff before shaking his head.

Luna scoffed, “You’re not even going to try and defend me?”

He tried (and failed) to bite back a smile, “I mean, you _are_ pretty stubborn.”

Lola gave a nod, “Exactly!”

Luna shook her head, a look of mock betrayal gracing her face, “I feel like I’m being bullied!”

That earned a cackle from Lola, and Luna answered by throwing a pillow at her face.

* * *

The two sisters talked into the night, Luna finally calling it quits when she noticed her sister started yawning. Luna apologized to her for having to sleep on the couch, but Lola didn’t seem to mind it too much. After showing her sister to the bathroom so she could get changed into pajamas, Luna made her way to her own shared bedroom. She spotted Sebastian, now on his couch, reading a book. She made her way over to him, a box of cookies in her hand. He spotted her from the corner of his eye. Placing his book face down on the arm of his couch, he simply greeted, “Hey.” 

“Hey yourself,” Luna responded with a smile. But it wasn’t her typical smile that warmed his soul so many times before. It felt hollow. “Lola said dad’s coming to the shower tomorrow.”

“Oh?” Sebastian responded carefully. He remembers Luna’s father was a jovial man. The two were close. That couldn’t be the reason she was upset, was it? “That’s good to hear.” _But…?_

Luna’s breath was shaky, “Mom couldn’t make it.” Her voice was quiet.

“Oh…” There it was. He should have figured it out. He felt stupid for not realizing that sooner. Sebastian knew Luna’s relationship with her mother was… rocky.

She shook her head and laughed. It sounded bitter. “We have an extra box of cookies since she’s not coming.”

She even made her a box of cookies, just in case?

_...Oh..._

Luna opened the container and offered him what was inside. Normally he wasn’t too big on sweets, but he couldn’t say no to her when she was feeling upset. He had to admit; he _did_ have a weak spot for Luna’s homemade cookies. He took one with a “thanks.”

The two sat together silently. Sebastian cursed himself for not knowing what to say. His thoughts were interrupted when he felt Luna’s head on his shoulder. Sebastian wrapped his arm around her shoulder, “Sorry to hear about that.”

“It’s alright,” She said, “I kind of expected it.”

_Ouch_. He couldn’t help but winch at that. “You shouldn’t have, though.”

“It’s fine,” Luna hummed. He felt her shake her head, “I don’t want that to bring me down.” She said, “I’m disappointed, but not surprised.” She stifled a yawn, “At least my dad and Lola are coming.” Her voice was softer, more distant, "That makes me... happy..." Looking over, Sebastian noticed she’d fallen asleep. She always looked so peaceful when she slept. They would have to move to their bed eventually, but he decided to let her be for now. She deserved to relax. He kissed her forehead. He hated to see her so crestfallen. He wished he could do more for her. Wished he could say more. Wished he was good with words. He always tried to do small things to show his love. Making coffee and breakfast, helping her around the farm. He’d always appreciated the small things she’d do for him too; giving him space when he needed it, but still checking upon him, a bowl of pumpkin soup just _magically_ appearing on his bedside table, waiting for him when he awoke. He just found it adorable how she denied putting it there in the first place.

_Dunno where that came from.”_ Luna would say coyly every time. But her eyes would always give what she’s feeling away. She was so bad at keeping secrets and it never failed to lift Sebastian’s spirits. He loved how they could do that for each other. Lift each other up with the smallest gesture. Perhaps that was enough.

He sighed to himself, tried to quell his thoughts, and just appreciated the peaceful quiet. He’d have to enjoy it while he could because tomorrow would be a long day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's kind of funny how I had the first half of this fic/the plot outline just sitting on my laptop collecting dust since last summer, too afraid to post because I was nervous, and didn't think anyone would want to read it. Now, this fic has over 1000 hits! Wow, I'm so thankful for that! Thank you to everyone who's reading this, left a comment or a kudos, or bookmarked this story! It truly makes my day! ^^


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's almost 2am. I don't know why I decided to edit this chapter so late at night, but here I am. Let me know if you spot any type-o's, because editing late at night was probably a bad idea.

The baby shower was set at Robin’s house; or more accurately, her front yard. She insisted it to be so, telling Luna that if it were at the farm, she’d “work too hard.”

" _The mother-to-be should just relax!”_ Robin had told her. She was banished to Robin’s kitchen while Robin and her family set up the front yard. She even recruited Sebastian to help. He hesitated, giving Luna a look. Before she could reassure him, Lola spoke up first, “Don’t worry!” She beamed, “I’ll make sure she doesn’t break her neck while you’re gone.” She paused, looking to Luna. She gave her that _look_ that had gotten them into trouble throughout the years of their childhood, “Now, where’d you hide the wine?”

“Lola!” Luna huffed, trying to hide a snicker.

Sebastian simply rolled his eyes at their antics, eyes meeting Luna’s, “Maybe you should keep an eye on _her_ instead.”

“Will do.” Luna laughed. She watched as Sebastian left the kitchen. As the two women take a seat at the kitchen table, Luna caught Lola from the corner of her eye. She had pulled out a bottle of wine from her purse. “Lola!” Luna exclaimed in befuddled amusement, “I didn’t think you _actually_ brought wine!”

Lola gave her sister a side glance, “Don’t worry,” She winked, “I wasn’t going to share.”

Luna shook her head at her twin’s antics. Lola had always been like that. She marched to the beat of her own drum. It had gotten her into trouble on more than a few occasions, usually dragging Luna along for the ride. She had once envied how free-spirited her sister was compared to her. How she never seemed to let other people’s judgments bother her. It was a naive thought, looking back on it now. When Lola had dropped out of college, their mother cut her off. When Lola started dating girls, she was cut out of the family. That’s what she had _tried_ to do. But Luna and her Father kept in touch and supported her. Luna had tried to talk sense into her mother, but she just wasn’t having it. The relationship was already strained, but it only seemed to snap when Luna left for the valley. 

_“She’s a control freak.”_ Lola had said to her one drunken night at her apartment, _“That’s probably why she’s mad at you. You’re not under her thumb anymore.”_

“Lu-Bird…” Lola’s voice was low, almost like a warning, “You’re thinking about mom.” It was a statement, not a question. Luna didn’t need to answer. There was no point lying. Her sister knew. “I won’t sugar coat it.” Lola sighed, sitting back in her chair, “It’s probably for the best.”

Luna tried to interrupt, but Lola shook her head, face firm, “She’s burnt her bridge, so let her live with it.” She opened the bottle of wine and took a swig. “The only person she has to blame for her own loneliness is herself.”

“Lola!” Luna hissed, “It’s not even the afternoon! Why are you already drinking?”

The young woman gave a simple eye roll, “Listen, if we’re going to talk about _Lauren_ , then I don’t want to be sober.” Lola only used their mother’s first name when she was annoyed. Before Luna could comment on it, she said, “But know this.” Lola leaned forward in her chair, eyes locking with Luna’s, “You’ll be an even better mom. I’m sure Sebastian would agree.”

Luna couldn’t fight the smile that graced her face, “Yeah…” She looked away bashfully, “He did tell me that.”

“Good.” Lola leaned back in her chair with a gentle smile. The atmosphere felt more relaxed; a weight lifted off Luna's shoulders. Perhaps she just needed her sister’s more… stern approach. Not that Sebastian couldn’t be stern when he wanted to. But he did seem to clam up whenever mentions of her family were brought up. Perhaps he didn’t want to sound disrespectful toward her mother. She could respect that if that were the case.

Sitting back in her own chair, she placed a hand on her swollen belly, “Thanks, Lo.” She smiled, "That did help me feel a bit better."

"Better enough to give Rayne my name as her middle name?"

"No," Luna responded flatly.

Lola shrugged, "Worth a shot." 

* * *

Once Robin and her family had everything put together, the guest began to arrive. Everyone was seated in the front yard, sitting at the picnic tables Robin’s family had put out for everyone; conversing with one another.

Alex’s grandmother, Evelyn, had brought over a cake. Gus oversaw the food, which was a must for events like this. His food was truly divine. Emily had come by, a bag of homemade clothes. Her and Lola seemed to have hit it off, the two of them engrossed in a conversation over a bottle of wine. Luna had spotted Sam and Penny, the two of them laughing at some unheard joke while eating mini cupcakes. Even Shane and Jas stopped by, Jas giving Luna a homemade card with the cutest drawings and macaroni art. It made Luna’s heart melt.

Shane shuffled from foot to foot, avoiding Luna's gaze as he handed Luna a gift bag. She graciously took it. Opening the bag, she found it was a crocheted baby blanket. It was soft to the touch, a multitude of pastel colors, carefully placed to complement each other.

“It was Marnie’s idea.” Shane had said before Luna even had the chance to think about what to say.

Jas looked up to her godfather, disbelief clear in her eyes, “That’s not true!” She said, looking over to Luna, “He gave Aunt Marnie the idea to make it.”

Luna simply laughed, Shane’s face blooming with color. “Don’t worry Shane,” She gave him a wink, “Your secret’s safe with me.”

He simply rolled his eyes, but it was half heartily.

Luna excused herself, deciding to take a break from interacting with the guest. She wanted to find Sebastian. He said he needed to find something, but that felt like ages ago. She made her way into Robin’s house, only to be surprised by who was inside.

“Dad?” Luna said, surprised. Her father was conversing with Robin and Demetrius by the counter in the foyer. Why hadn’t anyone told her he was here?

“Lu-bird!” Her father’s face lightens up at the sight of his pregnant daughter. He hugged her, giving her a light squeeze. James Beverly was a very tall and sophisticated gentleman. He looked young for a man that was pushing sixty. His salt and pepper hair and trimmed mustache suited him nicely. As the owner of his own law firm in Zuzu City, he always had a professional air about him. The only time he ever let it slip was when he was around people he trusted. Outside of the office, though, he could be a bit… overbearing and eccentric. But he meant well.

“Why didn’t you tell me you were here?” Luna asked, hand on her hip.

“Sorry, sweet pea,” At least he had the nerve to look sheepish, “I ran into Robin, and we had to play catch up.”

Robin beamed, “I haven’t seen your father in years! We grew up together in the Valley.”

That’s right she’d forgotten. Her father grew up in Pelican Town with Grandpa Mitch and Grandma Ellie. It was so hard to believe he was a country boy. He seemed to have adapted to the city well. Or maybe he was just good at hiding it.

“It’s so hard to believe all of our kids are adults now.” Demetrius chimed in, shaking his head.

“Right?” Luna’s father, James, agreed, “I’m going to be a grandfather, but I still don’t feel a day over 35.”

“Try 25!” Robin laughed, lifting her drink to her lips.

“Only on a good day,” James replied, giving a hearty chuckle.

Luna simply shook her head in amusement. “Actually, I was wondering… have you seen Sebastian?”

Robin’s face grew brighter at the mention of her son, “Yes, he said he had to find something.” She pointed to the hallway, “I think he went into the basement.”

The basement? Luna felt like she hadn’t been down there in a long time. She thanked the woman and headed toward the hallway. Going down the stairs, she felt a wave of nostalgia wash over her. She was brought back to the early days of her and Sebastian’s relationship. She had never thought befriending the basement dweller would lead to the way her life was now. Just the memories made her want to cry. Taking a breath, she cleared her thoughts and knocked on the door. She doesn’t know why. It wasn’t like he _lived_ there anymore. Perhaps it was just an old habit that never died.

There was a pause, before Sebastian’s voice rang through, laced with confusion, “…Come in?” 

She bit back a laugh. It was all too familiar. A routine that never truly died. Same song and dance. She opened the door slowly. One thing that was different, was how empty the basement was. All of Sebastian’s things were moved to the farm. His bed was the only thing still around.

Scanning the room, she spotted Sebastian by his opened closet. He was clearly hiding something, with his hands in the pocket of his hoodie. She decided to humor him.

“What’ja got there?” Luna said coyly, making her way to his side.

He swallowed thickly, avoiding her gaze, “What are you doing here?”

She raised an eyebrow, “Answering a question with a question?” She giggled, “That’s not suspicious at all.”

“If I told you,” He matched her teasing tone, “then it wouldn’t be a surprise.”

She rolled her eyes with a smile, before doing another scan around the room. The place looked bigger without his furniture. It felt almost empty. Soulless. And was it always this dark?

“I don’t miss it,” Sebastian said, breaking Luna from her thoughts. He seemed to be able to read her mind. It was like his personal superpower. _“You’re pretty easy to read.”_ He’d tease her about it constantly.

“Miss what?” Luna responded, deciding to play coy.

“You know what I mean.” He brought her over to his bed (well, his _old_ bed), both taking a seat on the edge. “I like our room together on the farm,” He averted his gaze, hiding his face from her. The tips of his ears were pink, “It’s got windows, for one thing.”

Luna laughed at that statement.

That caught his full attention, his gaze finally meeting hers. He had that smile that he seemed to reserve _just_ for her. No matter how long the two were together, it never ceased to make her stomach do flips. Like the first time, he ever showed her that smile. It was the very same feeling.

“For another thing,” He continued, his voice sending a warmth down her spine, “I get to hear that laugh of yours every day.”

Luna felt her face turning hot. “Oh yeah?” She answered, voice cracking. Now it was her turn to avoid his gaze. How’d he managed to turn the tides in his favor, she’d never know.

She saw Sebastian’s Adam’s Apple bob as he swallowed thickly, “I know I don’t show it often…” He lifted her chin so their eyes would meet. His stormy grays were too intense but so mesmerizing. So soothing. So _safe_. “…But I’m happy to be your husband. Marrying you was the best decision of my life.”

“Me too!” Luna answered too quickly. She grimaced, “I mean…” She tried not to pout at the sound of his laughing, “I’m happy to be your wife. And I can’t wait to walk this next chapter of our lives together.” As she said that, she placed her hand on her stomach. Sebastian didn’t miss this action. He placed his hand atop hers, pulling out a box from his pocket with the other.

“Surprise…” He whispered to her with a smile.

“You hid that _here_?” She questioned with a chuckle.

“Yeah, well,” He grinned, the lights of his eyes dancing in mischief, “I couldn’t hide it on the farm. You’re too nosy.”

Luna scoffed, “That’s…” She paused, looking away sheepishly, “…Only a little true.”

Sebastian simply huffed in amusement before urging her to open the box. She complied, taking the box into her hands. Slowly, she opened it, a small gasp escaping her throat. In the box was a necklace in sterling silver, the name _Rayne_ written in elegant cursive. At the end of the “e,” dangled a lose pink rose.

“That one,” Sebastian clarified, “Is for Rayne. For when she’s older, of course.”

“ _’That one’?_ ” She looked up to him, confused.

He pulled another box out of his pocket, “ _This_ one,” He placed it in her lap, “Is for _you_.”

She placed the box with the necklace beside her before taking the new jewelry box in her hand. She opened this one more slowly, unsure of what to expect inside. Once opened, she stared at it, speechless. Inside was a ring, with a colorful stone in the center. The stone swirled with soothing baby blues and pastel pinks. It almost looked like it was a galaxy inside.

“It’s—”

“A moonstone.” Sebastian finished for her. He looked away, hand scratching the nap of his neck, “I know rings are… more traditional for married couples to wear in the city.” He gave a shrug, “Apparently, moonstones also mean ‘new beginnings.’”

Luna laughed, but her throat felt tight, so it sounded more like a sob. “What a happy coincidence.” Her voice broke, and the tears came running. This was too sweet and thoughtful! She couldn’t help herself!

At the sight of tears, Sebastian cupped her cheeks, kissing them softly. “You okay?” He asked, voice soft.

She nodded, “These are happy tears, silly.” She laughed through a sob again. Before he had a chance to ask her anything else, Luna pulled him into a kiss. It was a soft and gentle kiss, full of so much love and admiration, it made both dizzy. Sebastian cradled her head with one hand, the other on the small of her back protectively. He tenderly bit her lip, and she hissed. But it wasn’t her typical hiss of pleasure. It was one of pain. Sebastian immediately pulled back, eyes looking to hers in pure concern.

“I’m sorry!” He said, voice full of guilt.

She winced again, “No, I don’t think—” She groaned, trying to catch her breath, “—I don’t think it was you…” Her eyes glistened with unshed tears, but this time they weren’t tears of joy.

Sebastian’s face went white at the realization. No way! _No way_ , it was too early! She wasn’t due until late _October!_ “Are you going into labor?” His voice was laced with panic.

"I’m—” She took a sharp breath, squeezing her eyes shut until the pain allowed her to speak, “I’m not sure!” She swallowed thickly, “… Maybe?” She sounded just as confused as he felt.

That seemed to have slapped him back into reality. He got to his knee, pulling her face to his, “Can you walk?” He asked, trying his best not to sound anxious. She needed him to be calm right now. He had plenty of time to panic when she was safe in the clinic.

She was silent for a moment. Whether that was to let the pain pass, or she needed to think about it, he couldn’t tell. “Ye-yes…” She said. She didn’t sound too sure.

Alright than. He held her by her arms, and she grabbed onto him for dear life, “With me, okay?” She nodded at him. The two stood to their feet together, Luna putting all her weight on his shoulder. The two went at an agonizingly slow pace to the door. Seeing all the stairs they’d have to climb made his blood run cold.

“Mom!” His voice wavered, and he felt like a child again. Without a second to lose, Robin, Demetrius, and Luna’s father appeared at the doorway leading down the stairs.

“What is it, sweetie? What happened?” Robin’s worried voice questioned.

“Lu-bird, what’s the matter?” James voiced at the same time as Robin’s, also full of concern.

Sebastian swallowed, throat suddenly dry, “I think she’s gone into labor.” He was glad he managed to sound calm because his heart sure as hell wasn’t.

Immediately, the three adults sprung into action. “I’ll go get Maru,” Demetrius said, quickly taking off, a spring of purpose in his step. James didn’t hesitate for a second, making his way down the stairs, placing his daughter’s other arm around his shoulder. “It’s alright, Sweet Pea.” He whispered soothingly to her. He gave Sebastian the most grateful look. The two men were able to support Luna, helping her climb up the stairs one at a time. Once they reached the top, a look of dread graced Luna’s face.

“Are we—” Her breath hitched, “Are we going to _walk_ to the clinic?”

“No sweetie.” Robin’s voice was sweet and gentle, “We can take my truck.” She looked to the two men, “C’mon, let’s get to the garage.”

At that moment, Maru, Lola, and Demetrius appeared. Sebastian had never seen Lola so worried. She acted like a jokester who never seemed to take anything too seriously. So, seeing her panicked felt surreal. Maru’s face was stoic and serious, as it always was whenever she worked on patients at the clinic.

“I need you to breath, okay Luna?” Maru said in a soothing voice. “Breathe with me, okay?” She began to breathe in a pattern, and Luna followed suit. The group made their way to the garage entrance, Robin’s truck in all it’s banged up glory. Sebastian had never been so happy to see that beat-up truck in his life. Robin took the driver’s seat, while Sebastian and James usher Luna into the middle seat. Sebastian didn’t hesitate to seat himself next to her, holding her hand in reassurance. He was surprised to see Maru take the other seat next to Luna. James was the one to take the passenger’s seat.

“I’ll meet you at the clinic!” Lola shouted through the window at her sister.

“I’ll inform the guest about what happened,” Demetrius reassured Robin, as he gave her a peck on her cheek. She smiled at him with a “thank you,” before turning to the back seat, “Buckle up, okay?” Sebastian and Maru nod, but Luna just releases a deep breath. She was squeezing the life out of his hand now, but he didn’t care. He was sure it didn’t compare to the pain she must have been feeling at that moment. He kissed her temple and rubbed soothing circles on her hand with his thumb.

“It’s alright,” He said gently, “We’ll be at the clinic soon.”


	11. Chapter 11

Sebastian never parted from Luna’s side when they first arrived at the clinic. She traded her everyday wear for a hospital gown and was hooked up to a machine, too keep an eye on the baby’s heartbeat. Dr. Harvey explained to the couple that they’ll be keeping an eye on Luna, as the contractions were considered “mild.”

“Mild?” Luna snapped, “There was nothing _mild_ about that.”

Dr. Harvey let out a light laugh, with a shake of his head, “Perhaps mild was the wrong choice of word.” He said while checking over a clipboard, “What I mean is, your contractions are too far apart. We’ll be monitoring you in the meantime.” He gave a reassuring smile through his mustache, “Once they’ve become five minutes apart, or your water breaks, we’ll prepare for labor.”

“How long could that take?” Sebastian asked. He hadn’t let go of Luna’s hand, sitting at her bedside.

The doctor scrunched his nose, thinking through his next words, “Couple of hours…” His face looked almost apologetic, “… or a couple of days.”

“Days?” Luna’s head snapped up at that, voice wavering. Sebastian gave her hand a squeeze to help soothe and calm her down.

“Not to worry.” Harvey tried to be reassuring, “We’ll try to make your stay as comfortable as possible, for both you and baby.”

Before Harvey managed to leave, Luna spoke up, “Are we allowed, visitors?”

Harvey turned to the couple, “Of course.” He said, the smile never leaving his face, “But only one at a time. Wouldn’t want to overwhelm you.” With that, he took his leave.

Luna gave a long sigh, throwing her head back on her pillow with her eyes closed. Her pillows were set up in such a way that she was sitting up.

“Are you in pain?” Sebastian asked voice laced with concern. She wordlessly nodded; her brows set in a slight frown. She was quiet, squeezing his hand until the pain passed. She looked to Sebastian, the softest smile decorating her face.

“You were really calm back there.” She whispered softly. Back in the basement, Luna forgot everything she’d ever read on labor and what to do. She felt helpless at the moment. The pain was too overwhelming; she couldn’t think straight. She wasn’t sure what she would have done if Sebastian wasn’t there. She held back the urge to let out a teasing, _“my hero.”_

Sebastian gave a nervous laugh, looking away almost bashfully, “I didn’t _feel_ calm though.”

That only managed to make her smile wider, “You were so good at hiding it than.”

He smiled halfheartedly, “Wish I could’ve done more.”

Luna shook her head, bringing his hand to her lips and giving it a gentle kiss. She smiled in satisfaction when she saw his face bloom with color, “Don’t beat yourself up.” She said, “You did amazing. I’m just sorry I kind of ruined our moment.” She laughed humorlessly.

Sebastian shook his head, brows furrowed, “You didn’t ruin anything.” He reassured her, “I’m just happy you’re both safe.” He placed a hand on her pregnant belly.

The sound of the door opening caught the young couple’s attention. It was Maru, now dressed in her nurse uniform, and Luna’s father. Maru nodded at the couple, “Hey,” She smiled, “Just coming to check on you two.” She said as she made her way to the heart monitor. Luna’s father made his way over to the bed.

He gave the couple a huge grin, “You alright, Sweet Pea?”

Luna gave him a weak smile, “I’m alright.” Her voice was soft. She winced, perhaps still in a bit of pain.

James’ smile softened before turning his attention to Sebastian. “It’s nice to see you again, son!”

Sebastian swallowed thickly, standing to his feet to shake the gentleman’s hand, “Same to you, sir.” Last he remembered seeing Luna’s father was last Winter Star. He had come over to the Valley for dinner and took an interest in Sebastian’s bike. Apparently, he was also a motorcycle enthusiast. Perhaps that’s why he took an interest in Sebastian? He wasn’t sure. 

That only made James let out a boisterous laugh, “How many times do I have to tell you? Just call me Jim!”

Sebastian gave a nod, sending Luna a pleading look. She simply shrugged back with a teasing smile. It wasn’t that Sebastian didn’t like Luna’s father. He was a relaxed guy in fact. He was outgoing but also intimidating. He was tall with broad shoulders and seemed to command respect without even trying. Even standing next to the man, Sebastian felt under-dressed standing with his hoodie and jeans, to James’ button-down dress shirt and pants.

“At least I know Robin raised a respectable young man.” He put his hand on Sebastian’s shoulder giving it a tight squeeze.

“Thank you, sir—errr…” Sebastian cleared his throat, “…uh, Jim.”

Luna decided to show her husband mercy, calling the attention of her overbearing father, “Hey, dad.” She smiled sweetly, “Could you do me a favor?”

“What is it, Lu?” He gave her his undivided attention.

“Could you go to the farm and check on Honey for me?” She said, “I don’t want the poor thing to worry.”

He nodded, face bright, “Sure thing, Sweet Pea!” He gave her a reassuring kiss to her forehead, before giving Sebastian a pat to his shoulder. With that, he was off.

Maru simply shook her head in amusement as she made her way to the foot of Luna’s bed, “Getting along with the dad-in-law, I see?” Her smile was teasing, “That’s cute.”

Sebastian simply rolled his eyes, while Luna stifled a giggle. Maru seemed satisfied by that response. She looked over to Luna with a reassuring smile, “Please let me know if anything comes up.” She said, “We’ll be checking on you periodically, but if anything pops up, don’t hesitate to tell us.”

“Thanks, Maru.” Luna smiled.

“No problem.” Maru nodded, making her leave.

Luna and Sebastian sat there a moment, the only sound in the room to accompany them was a ticking wall clock. The calm quiet was interrupted by Luna’s sharp intake of breath.

“You alright?” Sebastian asked, anxious.

She moaned, shaking her head. She sank deeper into the bed, trying to make herself comfortable.

“Do you want me to lay with you?” He asked. It might not help, but he could try to comfort her at least. Seeing her struggle to relax reminded him of the times when she’d thrash in her sleep from a nightmare. She always seemed to calm down at his touch.

She managed a nod, and he got up without a moment’s hesitation. She scoots over just enough for him to climb into bed next to her. He placed a hand on her stomach, and she sent him a pained smile. He felt so helpless.

“Try and rest up.” He said, “You’ll need all of your energy.”

Throughout the day, they had a few more visitors, before Luna was too tired to speak. Sam and Abigail had stopped by, but only for a minute. Sam couldn’t stop gushing about how excited he was to be “Uncle Sam.” Lola came by, dropping off some baby clothes.

"So she'll have something cute to wear when she goes home." Said Lola with a smile. She managed to look like her typical calm self. Whether she was faking or actually pulled herself together, Sebastian couldn't tell. Unlike Luna, Lola wasn't as easy to read.

Robin gave a “reassuring” talk, telling the couple stories about Maru and Sebastian’s birth. “Sebastian was actually breech!” She recalled, “So I guess you could say, he came into the world ass first!” Robin couldn’t help but laugh at her own joke. It only managed to make Luna _more_ worried and left Sebastian mortified. Maru simply laughed. Robin didn’t seem to notice the couple's discomfort, “Maru was actually an at-home water birth.” She smiled at the memory, “First time I held her in my arms, she was sucking her thumb. She didn’t stop until she was five.” It was Maru who had kicked her out.

“Luna needs to rest,” Maru said, trying to cover up her own embarrassment. There were no more visitors for the rest of the day.

It was later in the evening, and the closer together and longer Luna’s contractions become, the shorter her patients grew.

“How,” She huffed, “The _hell_ do people do this more than once?”

Sebastian simply hummed, unsure how to answer. When she wasn't in great pain, she'd go on a frustrated ramble to pass the time.

“Like,” Luna took another deep breath, letting the pain pass before continuing. She waited an extra second to speak, “How do people have 12 kids? Or hell, even two?” Her breath hitched, and she groaned, “This sucks!” She threw her head back with a whine. She was growing restless. Sebastian squeezed her hand, unsure of what else to do. She sounded frustrated. He felt her body stiffen, and she let out a slow breath. This one was more ragged. It caught Sebastian’s attention.

“What’s wrong?” He sat up; voice full of concern.

“I…” Her voice was shaky, “…I think my water just broke…”

“What?” He wasn’t sure he heard her right.

Another deep breath, “Please, just—” Her head fell back against the pillow, her face scrunched up in pain, “—Get Maru and Harvey.” 

* * *

Maru and Dr. Harvey came rushing in without a moment to lose. Maru was the first to arrive at the foot of Luna’s bed. Dr. Harvey sat at a stool, white gloves on his hands.

“Alright,” The doctor gave the couple the most reassuring face he could muster, “When you feel the next contraction, I’ll need you to push, okay?”

Luna wordlessly nodded, biting her bottom lip to repress a pained moan. Sebastian held her hand tight.

“Remember the breathing exercises Maru taught you?” He said, throat tight. He hoped he sounded calm, for her sake, “Just breath.”

She nodded, letting out a shaky breath. She already looked exhausted, but a flame of determination burned through her sea-foam eyes. She gave Sebastian’s hand a squeeze.

Maru spoke up, eyes on the monitor in the room, “Next contraction should be coming in two minutes.”

If Luna had the willpower to speak, she’d say that was a _goddamn_ lie. It did not feel like two minutes. She didn’t even get a chance to think. She gritted her teeth and pushed.

Sebastian did all he could to be supportive. It was all he _could_ do really. He whispered encouraging words into her ear and wiped back her unruly curls out of her glinting face. He felt his respect and love for her grow tenfold at the sight. Here she was in so much pain, and yet she was _still_ determined to push. Her labored groans and murmurs pulled his heartstrings. He wished he could take that pain away. Time felt like it had slowed down. One minute felt like two hours. Luna looked absolutely drained. Even Sebastian was starting to feel fatigued. But he kept it all in. 

“I see the head!” Dr. Harvey called out, “Just a bit more.”

The relief on Luna’s face only lasted a second, as a new wave of pain washed over her. A colorful string of curses jumped out of her mouth. Sebastian’s fingers would probably be bruised in the morning. That would probably be considered mild in comparison to Luna’s predicament.

“You’ve got this, Lu,” Sebastian whispered into her hair. He couldn’t tell if she could hear him through her ragged breathing. She threw her head back with a yelp at the next wave of contractions. She could hear Harvey's instructions and tried to focus on that. _Only that_. The pain might have felt overwhelming, but her determination was stronger. She let out another cry when she felt waves of pain washing over her again. She squeezed her eyes shut, letting out a sharp breath. Another push and…

The sounds of an infant crying had never sounded so soothing. It was almost melodic to the ears. Maru came over immediately with a warm towel, cleaning off the newborn as best she could. The infant was wrapped in a blanket and placed into Luna’s arms. The couple looked to the baby in awe and wonder. She was tiny, head no bigger than a fist. Her eyes were closed tight as she cried in Luna’s arms.

“Wow…” Sebastian whispered; voice low. He was speechless at the sight. His wife, exhausted and soaked in sweat, holding their newborn daughter made his heart swell. He kissed her temple, eyes never leaving their baby, “You did it.” His voice was tender. Their baby. _Their baby._ Their _daughter_. It felt so surreal to say. But there she was, in her mother's arms, as real as ever.

“…Yeah…” Luna choked on a sob, “She’s here.”

It felt like the world had stopped, and the three of them were the only ones in the room. The couple was mesmerized. She was beautiful. _Perfect_.

Luna looked drained, laying her head back with her eyes closed. Sebastian laid his head on his wife’s shoulder, eyes bright, “Welcome to the world, Rayne.”


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Editing late at night, once again. Wanted to post before midnight though, while it's still Fathers Day. Felt pretty fitting.

Baby Rayne was born that late Friday evening at the Stardew Valley clinic. She cried for the first few minutes of her new life before falling asleep in her mother’s arms. Everything the newborn did, the couple would just stare in awe. Dr. Harvey didn’t allow any visitors, saying something along the lines of, “the first hours of bonding for the baby and new parents are the most important.” That and the new mother needed her rest. The poor thing was _exhausted_.

Luna getting to hold her newborn baby in her arms felt surreal. It was strange to think that this small person came out of her. She had only known this child for a couple of hours, but she already couldn’t imagine a life without her. She gave her baby a kiss on the nose and smiled.

“It’s nice to finally meet you.” Said Luna, softly. She simply couldn’t take her eyes off the sweet bundle of joy. So small and precious. She didn’t even know it was possible for a person to be that tiny.

It felt like hours of blissful silence before Luna’s excitement wore out. Her exhaustion was beginning to catch up to her. Maru had brought in a hospital bassinet for the baby so that Luna could finally get her rest. She hesitated, biting her lip.

“Relax Luna.” Sebastian said, giving Luna’s shoulder a squeeze, “You deserve some sleep.” She deserved to sleep for a _week_ if Sebastian had anything to say about it. He completely understood why Luna was so hesitant to rest. Their baby was only hours old, and the two didn’t want to miss her for a second.

Luna did seem to relax under Sebastian’s touch. “You’ll wake me if anything happens, right?”

“Of course.” His smile was soft; comforting. It never failed to put Luna’s mind at ease.

That’s how Rayne ended up in Sebastian’s arms, with him sitting in the armchair, and Luna fast asleep. He could have put her in the bassinet, but he wasn’t ready to let her go just yet. She felt small in his arms, wrapped in blankets, warm and tight. _Why was she so tiny? Nothing should be allowed to be that tiny!_

He was able to get a better look at her face. The first thing he noticed, was that she had Luna’s nose. Her hair was black, with small waves. He wondered if she inherited her mother’s curls. That thought made him smile. He was caught off guard when the baby’s eyes began to flutter, slowly opening to look right at him. His heart stopped when he saw she had his eyes. Stormy grays met stormy grays.

She blinked at him. He blinked back. Akin to two cats, staring each other down, unsure about how the other should interact.

“Hello, Rayne.” Sebastian greeted his own daughter, awkwardly. _His daughter_. That was still a strange thought. All this time he had to prepare for this moment, and yet he still didn’t feel well put together. All the words he'd imagined he'd say simply disappeared at that moment. He cleared his throat, voice soft, “It’s me, your dad.” It rolled off his tongue so naturally. _Your dad._

Rayne simply stared at him, as though she could understand what he was saying. Was it possible she recognized the sound of his voice? He remembered reading about how babies could hear their parent’s voices while they were still in the womb. That thought made his chest feel warm.

“You’re a quiet little thing, huh?”

She simply yawned as a response.

That made him let out a quiet laugh, “You’re feeling tired too?” He stole a glance of his sleeping wife. He was grateful that she looked so relaxed. So peaceful. It put his mind at ease. He was so thankful that both were safe. He leaned back in his chair, letting out a yawn of his own.

“Looks like we’re both tired.” He said softly. When he looked back to his baby, he realized she was asleep. He felt the tips of his lips twitch up. She had the same angelic sleeping face as her mother. He slowly got up, holding on to her tight. It felt odd, holding her in his arms while standing. Like he was holding a fragile china doll. He carefully placed her in the bassinet and placed a soft kiss atop her head.

“Sleep tight.” He whispered into her hair softly. Once he was sure she was safe in her bassinet, Sebastian made his way over to Luna. The hospital beds were thin, but he still managed to make his way into the bed by her side. The fatigue was starting to catch up to him, too. He couldn’t recall what time it was, but he assumed it must’ve been late.

Laying on his side, facing Luna, he allowed himself to drift away into a dreamless slumber. They both would need all the rest they could get.

* * *

The next morning, bright and early, James and Lola were the first to come to visit. The two had to be leaving that day, so they wanted to get their goodbyes in while visiting the newest addition to the family. They planned on leaving early, so the two could get caught up on their respective jobs before tomorrow. The original plan was for them to leave the night before, but no one planned for Luna to give birth so soon.

James was a wreak, being brought nearly to tears at the sight of his new grandbaby. He was currently standing over the bassinet, newborn baby in his firm arms. Sebastian sat in the bedside chair, while Lola sat next to Luna on the bed.

“When am I going to start seeing some grandkids from _you_ , Lola?” He asked her with a smile.

Lola simply rolled her eyes, “I’ll leave the grandkids to Luna.” She said smugly, “I’m perfectly fine being the gay aunt who showers her niece with gifts.” She sent her sister a wink, causing Luna to smile. 

“Do you two really have to leave so soon?” Luna asked. It was nice seeing her family again. She hadn’t realized how much she missed them.

Her father looked just as upset about it as her, “Wish I could stay a bit longer.” He said with a sigh, “But unfortunately, I’ve got work tomorrow.”

Lola nodded, “Yeah, same here.” She gave Luna and Sebastian a pointed look, “But don’t you forget to send pictures of Rayne!” She said. She then turned her gaze to Sebastian, “And you all should visit us sometime! It’s not fair that you get to have Luna to yourself all the time.”

Sebastian simply rubbed his neck with an awkward sigh, causing Luna to shake her head with a laugh. They conversed for a while, before giving Luna a hug goodbye each.

“Oh, that’s right!” Luna’s father, James, said at the door, making a stop. He looked to the young couple, tips of his mustache going up in the curve of a smile, “I left your gift I planned to give to you at the baby shower on the farm.”

“Thanks, dad!” Luna said. And she meant it. She was grateful that her twin sister and father came. And she was happy to know they got along with her husband. Sure, her family’s extrovert-ness could be exhausting for both Luna and Sebastian, but it was still overall a nice relationship. The few romantic relationships she had in the past normally didn’t mesh well with her overprotective dad and sister. It was refreshing that Sebastian seemed to be her father’s favorite.

Speaking of in-laws, Robin and Demetrius were the next to visit. Maru was currently doing her routine check-up on Luna when Robin came in like a red tornado. Her eyes darted around the room until they landed on the little bassinet by the bed. She practically flew to her grandbaby, eyes sparkling in anticipation.

“Let me see her!” She squealed, “Lemme see my lil’ Rayne-bow!”

Sebastian raised an eyebrow at that. He was currently sitting in the chair beside the bed, reading the latest of Cave Saga X. “She’s not even a full day old, and you’ve already given her a nickname?”

Robin ignored him, “There she is!” She gushed at the sleeping infant, “She’s so tiny!”

Demetrius gave his wife’s shoulders a squeeze, “Calm down dear.” He said, voice soft “You wouldn’t want to wake her up.”

“Yeah, mom.” Sebastian never thought a day would come where he’d be agreeing with _Demetrius_ , of all people. To be fair, he also never thought he’d be married with a baby, and yet here he was.

Robin shot her husband and son a sheepish look, “Sorry.” She said more softly, “I’m just too excited! My first grandbaby!” 

Maru simply shook her head at her mother’s antics, before getting back to analyzing her clipboard of papers.

Robin looked to Sebastian and Luna, her eyes practically pleading. It was Luna who caved, “You can hold her.” She said, “Just try not to wake her.”

Robin gave a silent noise of triumph, before gently lifting her tiny grandchild into her arms. She whispered and cooed, body swaying soothingly. It was a precious sight, seeing Robin slip into nurturing-mother-mode so easily.

“She looks just like Sebastian.” Robin murmured.

“You think so?” Sebastian sat back in his chair, eyebrows crinkled, “She looks more like Luna to me.”

That called Luna’s attention away from Maru, eyes meeting Sebastian’s, “No, I think Robin’s on to something.” She said, almost teasingly, “She looks like you!”

Sebastian simply sighed, going back to his reading. No point in arguing when his mom and Luna were both on the same page. The two of them were stubborn and made an unstoppable team.

Robin continued to rock the sleeping infant, Demetrius at her side. Even he seemed interested in the new bundle of joy, which did surprise Sebastian, he had to admit. Demetrius always had a bad habit of coming off as aloof. Perhaps his stepfather had a soft spot for babies.

“Was this your first time delivering a baby, Maru?” Demetrius asked.

Ah, yes. _That_ sounded more like the stepfather he knew and slightly tolerated.

Maru hummed, sending Sebastian a look of uncertainty, “Technically, I didn’t _deliver_ the baby.” She said firmly, “That was all Dr. Harvey. I just supervised.”

“Even still,” Demetrius’s chest practically swelled with pride, “You should be proud.”

Maru shot her brother an apologetic look. Sebastian merely shrugged with an eye-roll. He knew how his stepfather was, so he couldn’t really say he was surprised anymore. Of course, his stepfather always had to somehow make it about Maru. He was mercifully brought out of his melancholy thoughts when he felt Luna’s hand on his knee. He appreciated the fact that she didn’t have to say much to put him in a better mood. It felt like she was a master at reading his mood. She kept him grounded, and he admired that. 

Once Maru was done with her check up on Luna, she had made her way over to Sebastian without him even knowing. She looked from him to her parents, cooing over the baby. It was a lovely sight. At the same time, she still found it hard to believe. Who knew that, out of the two siblings, it’ll be her moody, loner of an older brother settling down with a family? She certainly didn’t predict that. Even now, standing in the moment, it all felt surreal.

When Rayne woke up with a whine, Robin’s eyes, if possible, grew brighter. “She’s got Sebby’s eyes!” She gushed. Robin was a natural, soothing the baby without much effort. It only took a couple of seconds to get Rayne calmed down.

“You’re a natural with kids.” Said Luna.

Robin sent her a smile, “It’s a learned skill.” She said, bringing her eyes back to the baby, “Believe me, it’ll get easier once you have your second kid.” She sent the pair a wink.

Luna’s eyes glazed over; her face, unreadable. “Se…second kid…” Rayne was barely a day old, why was Robin already making plans on a “second kid”? Luna hadn’t even fully recovered from her first kid!

“Mom!” Sebastian sounded almost as exasperated as Luna felt, “It’s _way_ too early to start thinking about a second kid.”

Robin wasn’t fazed, simply opting to ignore them. She turned her attention to the baby in her arms, voice as sweet and smooth as honey, “You’ll want to have a playmate, isn’t that right Rayne-bow?”

“Now Robin.” Demetrius rubbed his wife’s shoulders, “Luna’s probably still tired from the _first_ baby.”

Robin gave a playful eye-roll, “Fine. I’ll give them a break.” She gave Sebastian and Luna a mischievous smile, “For _now_.”

Sebastian let out a huff. Despite it being much too soon, the idea of a second kid didn’t bother him. They wouldn’t try again anytime soon. Of course not, Rayne wasn’t even a week old. And truth be told, he was still recovering from witnessing his wife being in immense pain from labor. Looking at his wife and stealing a glance at his mother gushing over her granddaughter, he found himself smiling. He remembered when he first started dating Luna, and his mom pointed that out. _“You’re smiling more!”_ She gushed at him. He denied it at the time. But he did find himself doing it more. Usually without him even knowing.

Perhaps, he felt, he finally had something to smile about.

* * *

Luna only had to stay in the clinic for a few days. Even though she was being sent home, she was under very strict orders to rest. Harvey was very firm in telling her so. She knew for a fact that Sebastian wasn’t going to let her lift anything heavier than a grain of sand, for at least two weeks. Maybe even longer, she wasn’t too sure.

It felt nice sitting in her bed at the farm. She missed her soft blankets, her window lighting, and the fresh smell of the air from her house plants. She missed the sound Honey’s paws made on the hardwood floors. She’d only been gone for a day, but she really hated how cold and uninviting hospitals felt. It felt nice to be back in her warm and familiar home. It felt even better to be home with her baby and her husband.

Sebastian and Luna were currently in bed, both eating lunch. Though, truthfully, they were both too preoccupied with cooing over Rayne to actually _eat_. Luna’s plate was long forgotten about, leaving it on her bedside table. Honey was seated on the floor, at the foot of their bed, looking curiously at the small bundle in Luna’s arms.

Just as Sebastian was about to join his wife, there was a knock at the door. The couple looked to each other confused, neither one really expecting anyone. Well, at least not Luna. A look of recollection seemed to cross Sebastian’s features, “That’s right.” He said, making his way out of the bed, “Sam did say he wanted to come over.” He made his way out of the bedroom. She can hear the loud voices coming from the living room. She can’t hear exactly what they’re talking about. She can, however, tell by how loud he was getting, that he must’ve been coming close. The door swung open, and the first thing Luna saw was a giant teddy bear, with an array of balloons surrounding it. It was impossible to see the person behind the bear, but there was no mistaking that voice.

“Sam?” Luna exclaimed with a laugh.

“Lu!” Sam smiled back, turning the bear to the side to get a better look at her. He froze when he saw the baby in her arms. “Holy shit! She’s so tiny!”

“Don’t swear in front of the baby.” Abigail’s voice could be heard from the hallway. When she entered the room, Sebastian was by her side, an amused grin on his face.

Sam placed the giant bear on the bed, giving Abigail a look, “It’s not like she can understand me, Abby.”

Abigail simply rolled her eyes before meeting Luna’s. “Is she asleep?” She had the decency to at least whisper.

Luna nodded, “Yes. She’s a very quiet baby.” She looked to Sebastian with a smug smile, “She’s just like her dad.”

Everyone chuckled at that statement. “That’s lucky.” Sam smiled, “I remember Vince was a handful. Cried for two weeks straight when he first came home. Slept all day and cried all night.”

Luna and Sebastian winced at that thought. They sent a silent prayer to whatever god was listening that they’d never have to experience that. At least not anytime soon. Let them enjoy this peaceful honeymoon phase. Abigail simply gave Sam a punch on his shoulder, “Don’t jinx them, Sam.”

He smiled, sending the couple an apologetic look. Sebastian rolled his eyes at his friends, before making his way to sit on the edge of the bed. “So,” he brought his two friend’s attention back to him, “What was it you wanted to tell us, Sam?”

Sam looked to his friend confused before a light bulb seemed to go off. He smiled brighter, if at all possible, “Oh that’s right!” He gave a clap, “I have something to announce!”

Abigail rolled her eyes again, “Yeah, we know. That’s what Seb just—”

Sam ignored her, “It’s really big news—well,” He sent Luna an almost sheepish look, “Maybe not as big as like, a baby, but still!” He cleared his throat at Luna’s laugh, “So, get this!” He paused for dramatic effect, causing Sebastian to groan.

“Get on with it, Sam.”

“Okay, okay.” He laughed at his friend’s impatience, voice turning serious, “So, I signed a music contract with this studio…”

“Shit, really?” Abigail’s baby blue eyes looked genuinely surprised.

Sam gave out a tsk, “Abby, Abby, _Abby_!” He shook his head, “Wasn’t it _you_ who told me not to swear in front of baby Rayne?”

“Oh, shut up.” She responded with a pinch to the arm.

Sebastian simply looked on in surprise, “Wow, that’s great news, Sam.”

“Yeah,” Luna gave her best smile, “That’s amazing.” She, of course, already knew this news. But she still wanted to give the impression that she was surprised. He looked so bright-eyed and excited. It was the least she could do.

Sam rubbed the back of his neck, “Aww, you’re making me blush.” He chuckled. Now, more seriously, “I mean, it’s not too big a deal. It’s going to be on a kid show.”

Sebastian gave a low whistle, crossing his arms, “That’s still impressive.”

“Yeah!” Abigail smiled, “You gotta get your foot through the door somehow, right?”

That seemed to have put a boost to Sam’s confidence. He gave his friend’s bright smile; the signature one that seemed to rival the sun, “Thanks, guys!”

They conversed a little longer before their two friends had to go. They said they wanted to give Sebastian and Luna their “family time.” The two did appreciate it. They felt like they’ve been surrounded by people for days. And the two loved their friends and family. Yoba knows they did. But it felt nice to just relax alone in their house. Everything still felt so new to the couple. It’ll take them a while to adjust. But they were up to the task.

Now truly alone with Rayne, as if she knew the two people were gone, let out a soft cry.

“Must be lunchtime,” Luna mentioned, almost knowingly.

Sebastian couldn’t help but look on in amusement. It was like Rayne knew the company had left. Perhaps he was just imagining it, but there was just something so humorous about that thought. Luna mentioned that their baby was a lot like him. She was quiet and didn’t seem to fuss much. Perhaps it was too early to tell. Then again, he remembered his mother mentioning that he was a rambunctious child, at least around her. His aloof and shy nature didn’t show up until he was around other people. It could have been the same for Rayne. But she was only just a few days old. He could have just been projecting.

He’ll probably just have to wait and see. But for now, he just wanted to enjoy the present. He didn’t want to miss a single moment of it.


	13. Chapter 13

It was a quiet winter morning; the valley was covered in a blanket for freshly fallen snow. There was something so relaxing about the winter in the valley. Perhaps it was the comforting sweaters or the fire from the fireplace. Or perhaps the smell of fresh cookies that Grandma Evelyn would pass out to the town. It might explain why Luna never paid winter much attention when she was in the city. It never felt as intimate in Zuzu. Everyone felt cold and distant, but the valley was warm and inviting, even on its coldest nights. It wasn’t until she came to the valley that her appreciation for the frosty season grew. Something she thought her nocturnal husband might have had something to do with.

Luna was up early, as usual. She saw her husband at her side, sleeping soundly. She kissed him softly on his forehead before slipping out of their warm covers. The floor creaked with each step she took. Honey woke up at the sound, tilting her head in confusion. When she saw it was Luna, she relaxed and went back to sleep.

Luna made her way to the kitchen, cooking up a nice breakfast of pancakes and a steaming mug of coffee. Black, just as he usually liked it.

Luna made her way to the nursery, slowly opening the door. She saw Rayne in her crib, sound asleep, as peaceful as she was every morning. The three-month-old was still as tiny as ever, her personality beginning to show. She was always all smiles and giggles. Though, she did still have her moments. For one, the couple was pretty sleep deprived for the first month after her arrival. Sebastian’s night owl tendencies seemed to pay off in that respect.

Normally, Sebastian would be the one looking after Rayne in the early mornings, telling Luna to focus on her early morning chores on the farm. But today was a special occasion, and she wanted her husband to get his sleep. He more than deserved it today.

She slowly lifted her baby into her arms, giving her a soft kiss on her chubby cheek. She lays her out on the changing table, Rayne giving a soft stretch and a yawn. It made Luna giggle.

“Morning sweetheart.” She said in an almost sing-song voice. Rayne simply answered with a soft coo. Luna smiled, “We’ve gotta get you cleaned up. It’s a special day.”

It was a routine. One they fell into naturally; change, bath, then breakfast. Robin would often tease, telling the couple to enjoy the small moments while they could. “One minute, they’re an adorable bundle of joy. The next, a moody teenager who doesn’t want kisses from their mom in public.” Of course, she sent Sebastian a teasing smile when she said that.

Once Rayne was dried off and dressed, Luna slowly made her way into her and her husband’s bedroom. Sebastian still in the same position he was in when she left him. She had to stifle a giggle. No matter how much he tried, his sleeping schedule seemed to always go back to how it was before. She sat at the edge of the bed, running her fingers through his hair. He sighed into her touch but didn’t move.

“Seb-as-tian~” Luna’s voice was as soothing as ever. His eyelashes fluttered, a typical sign that he was awake. Luna smiled at herself, leaning in closer with Rayne in her arms. With a soft coo, Rayne reached out and tugged Sebastian’s hair. That got him up.

“Mornin’ Rayne.” His voice was still heavy with sleep. He turned over to his back, pulling Rayne into his arms.

Luna gave him a kiss on the side of his mouth, “Guess what today is.”

Sebastian laid his head back, eyes closed in thought, “Tuesday?”

“No.” Luna laughed, giving his shoulder a gentle shove, “Try again.

“Wednesday?”

“Are you just going to keep naming days of the week til you get it right?”

He gave her the smuggest smile he could muster, “Yup.”

Luna rolled her eyes, scooting back to rest her back on the pillow, “Well, even if you did that, it’d still be wrong.”

She saw his eyebrows knit in confusion, and she had to stifle a laugh. Rayne had decided to occupy herself by playing with her father’s hand, placing his finger in her mouth. Sebastian didn’t seem to notice.

He sat up, adjusting the pillow behind his back with one hand, “It’s not our anniversary, is it?”

“Seb.” Luna was trying to hold back a chuckle, but failed miserably, “We got married in the summer. It’s winter.”

“Oh.” His cheeks were a little rosy at that realization, and Luna couldn’t help but find it endearing.

“You really don’t remember?” Luna was biting back a smile, but she couldn’t hold it in much longer. “It’s your birthday, silly!” She leaned over and gave him a kiss on the cheek. He gave her a light chuckle.

“That’s today?” He sounded genuinely surprised. Typical of Sebastian to not remember his own birthday.

“Yup.” Luna gently pulled on his hand to drag him out of bed, “C’mon, I made birthday pancakes.”

He wordlessly followed her into the kitchen, Rayne still in his arms. He noticed the steaming hot cup of coffee on the table, and he was already wide awake from just the smell alone. Taking his seat, he gave a light chuckle at the sight of his pancakes. Luna had placed unlit birthday candles in them. The gesture warmed his heart. 

It was like that almost every year. Sebastian would forget his birthday, and someone else would have to remind him. Usually, it was his mom or Sam and Abigail. But ever since he got with Luna, she made it her job to make sure he had a special birthday. It was endearing, the way she’d wake him up in the morning, wishing him a happy birthday. He’d tell her it was fine, that she didn’t need to go above and beyond. But she was a stubborn one and didn’t listen. To him, it was just another day. This year, it felt extra special, with Luna waking him up with their daughter in her arms.

He took a sip of his coffee and relished the taste. The beans were grown on the farm, and the taste was like no other.

While Sebastian drank his coffee in one hand, he held Rayne in the other arm. It felt like she was growing up before their eyes. She was too young to crawl, which might have been a blessing. She loved to grab anything in sight and put it right to her mouth.

“Did you hear?” Luna said over her cup of coffee. She was sitting at the kitchen table, Honey sleeping at her feet. “The show Sam’s been doing the soundtrack for is airing today.”

That caught him by surprise. “Oh yeah. Forgot about that.” Watching his best friend put in so much time and dedication into his music for—what probably was—the biggest gig of his life, was an interesting sight. It wasn’t everyday Sam looked so serious.

“Maybe the three of us could gather around the tv and watch it together,” Luna suggested.

He smiled. _The three of us_. Luna probably didn’t even notice her phrasing. It was something so natural now. “Yeah.” Sebastian sat back in his chair, sneaking a peek at Rayne. She had lost interest in playing with his shirt and decided to play with her toes instead. “That sounds nice.”

* * *

Winter was always relaxing for Luna on the farm, and for that, Sebastian was thankful. Though she still had work to do (her wine had really taken off both in and out of the Valley) for the most part, she was able to relax. Rayne would keep the couple on their toes, a ray of energy in the sleepy season of winter. It was late. Luna had fallen asleep on the couch sometime after the primer of the kid’s show Sam’s music was featured in.

Sebastian decided to let his wife sleep, cradling Rayne in his arms. She was half-asleep herself as he carries her to her crib. She gave out a yawn as she gave her eyes a rub, and Sebastian can’t help the smile on his face.

“Sleep tight.” He whispered lightly. He still felt like he was in a dream. Like at some point, he’ll wake up and find himself back in that dark basement. Never had he thought he’d be where he was now. Even his job was taking him places he didn’t know he could go. He had always dreamed of making an indie game, but now he found himself sitting down and mapping out plans. Sometimes he’d pitch ideas to Luna and ask for her impute. She had even suggested commissioning Leah for concept art.

“There you two are.” A familiar voice brought Sebastian out of his musings. Tuning around, he spied a groggy Luna. She had made herself comfortable, wearing one of his shirts as pajamas. They were obviously too big for her, which made her look even more adorable in his eyes.

“I didn’t see you or Rayne when I woke up, so I freaked out a little.” She looked away; embarrassment clear on her face.

He laughed, giving his head a shake. Luna made her way across the room, wrapping her arms around his waist. She had to stand on her tiptoes just to kiss the back of his neck. He always loved it when she did things like that.

Luna’s eyes drifted to their sleeping daughter, a fond smile on her face, “I can already tell she’s going to be a quiet one.” She gave a light giggle, “Reminds me of someone.”

He gave her a cheeky smile, “Wonder who that could be.”

“That’s a mystery.” She matched his cheekiness with a smile of her own.

The two leave the nursery as quietly as possible, gently closing the door. Sebastian turned around, noticing his wife staring at him, her eyes soft. He always loved her smiles. They always seemed to make her eyes shine.

“What’s that face for?” He asked.

She simply smiled brighter, if possible, “I’m not making a face.” She turned away, playful defiance decorating her face.

He engulfed her in a hug, kissing her neck in that place he _knew_ she was ticklish-ly sensitive to, “Yes you are.”

She bit her lip, small giggles escaping her, “I was just thinking about how right I was.”

Sebastian looked to her; a bit confused. She was still in his arms. She turned to him with a small smile, “About you being a good father.”

He was brought back to their conversation months before Rayne was born. When he had wondered if he’d be a good enough dad. It felt like such a distant memory now. Sebastian turned his wife around in his arms. Her eyes drifted slowly to his lips before quickly going back to his eyes. She probably thought he didn’t notice, but he did.

“Is that all you were thinking?” He asked. His eye caught her finger grasping the ring on her hand. The same ring he gave her that day she went into labor.

“I was also thinking,” She bit her lip before finishing, “How did I get so lucky.”

He wondered that too, honestly. He remembered how much he thought she was out of his league. Even now, he doesn’t really understand how it all happened. He stole a kiss on her nose, “You know…” His voice drifted, hint mischief in his words, “It’s still my birthday.”

He can’t tell if she knew what he was implying, but the playfulness in her eyes never left, “Oh yeah?” He couldn’t help but notice her biting her lip. “Is there anything you might want?” By her teasing tone, he guessed she must have known what he meant.

And he can’t help the smile on his face. Yoba, he loved this woman. His wife. His comfort. The mother of his child. She never failed at making his days brighter. Her and Rayne were the best things to happen to him. He now knew what it felt like to belong in a family. To feel appreciated.

“There might be one thing.” He whispered in her ear.

She gave a pleasant hum, “I’m all ears.”

Sebastian adored the way they bounced off each other. How they could read each other’s minds. He kissed her, pulling her in close. She responded how he predicted; wrapping her arms around his neck, pulling him in deeper. He smiled into the kiss, his mind at ease. He hopped he melted her worries away as she did his.

They pulled apart, foreheads resting on each other for support. Luna’s eyes look to his. They were full of so much love and admiration, he just couldn’t look away. He didn’t want to. Simply wanted to stare into them for as long as he was able to. And he could if he wanted to. After all, they had the rest of their lives ahead of them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This fic was always meant to be a comfort fic for me, which would explain why it's so fluffy with very little conflict. I hope it was also a comforting read, especially now, with 2020 being... quiet the year. I'd like to thank everyone who made it this far. I'm still a little surprised this fic got any attention tbh. I'm so used to writing one-shots and short stories that are 3 chapters long, so this is a little new to me.


	14. Bonus

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had this idea rolling around in my head for a while now, so I guess this fic is getting a bonus chapter. Enjoy!

The grass was soft under her fingers. She was pretty sure the hem of her white dress was an utter mess, but she truly didn’t care. She was having too much fun. Muffled voices could be heard from her hiding spot, and the young girl had to stifle a giggle. Her name was called, but she simply ignored them. She wanted to wait for the perfect opportunity to make her move.

Closer, she lifted the tablecloth, sneaking a peek of her surroundings. She spotted her target, not too far from where she was. They hadn’t seemed to have spotted her yet. Perfect! She crawled out from where she was, her foot got caught on her dress, nearly making her trip flat on her face. Thankfully, she caught herself. After finding her balance, she made her move. Inching her way closer to her target. Tackling their legs, she gave out a “boo!” before breaking into a fit of giggles.

“Rayne!” The man turned as best he could, but that was hard to do when a three-year-old was clinging to his legs, “Where were you?”

Rayne simply giggled, “Did I scare you, daddy?”

“You could say that.” Her father scooped her up into his arms, making Rayne let out a fit of laughter. “Just where were you hiding?”

She simply smiled as she pointed to the buffet table. Her father followed where her finger was pointed, and he sighed, “Of course.”

Her father walked across the field, the residents of the town giving a wave to the small child in his arms. They all looked so happy seeing her, almost relieved, though Rayne couldn’t understand why. There, by one of the fences, dressed in the prettiest yellow dress, stood Rayne’s mother. She was talking to Grandma Robin, but Rayne couldn’t hear what they were saying. Grandma Robin had pointed out to Rayne and her father. Her mother’s green eyes caught Rayne’s gray ones. She broke into a speed run, her dress flowing behind her. Rayne thought she looked like a beautiful princess.

“There you are!” Her mother caught up with her father. She took Rayne into her arms, setting her on the ground. Squatting down to Rayne’s level, her mother searched her over, as if looking for any cuts or bruises.

“I was hiding!” Rayne said. For some reason, her mother didn’t look too amused. She simply closed her eyes, placed her hand to her chest, and breathed out a sigh. Her father also squatted down to her level, hand on her mother’s back.

Her mother opened her eyes, a slight frown on her face. Her voice was gentle, yet firm, “We thought you had gotten lost in the woods somewhere.”

Oh! Her mommy had thought she’d run away? But she’d never do that! “I’m sorry mommy!” She gave her mother a hug, burying her face in her mother’s neck, "I didn't mean to scare you." Rayne heard her mother let out a chuckle as she patted her daughter’s hair.

“Next time,” Her father spoke, voice soft, “Just tell one of the grownups where you’re hiding. That way they could keep an eye on you.”

Rayne thought about it a minute, “Okay,” She said slowly, before her eyes brightened with an idea, “I’ll just tell Uncle Sam and Aunt Penny next time!”

Her parents gave her a laugh, and that made Rayne feel much better. Her mother let her go, finally getting a better look at Rayne’s white dress. “I don’t think Emily’s going to be so happy when she sees your dress.”

Rayne finally looked down, getting a good look at the grass stains and dirt on her poofy dress.

Her father looked more so amused than angry, “I told Penny a white flower girl dress on a three-year-old would be a bad idea.”

“Maybe it won’t show up on the pictures?” Her mother said, but she didn’t sound so sure.

Before anyone could say another word, Sam’s father, Kent, made an announcement; the first dance of the bride and groom. How exciting! Everyone clapped as Uncle Sam and Aunt Penny entered the dance floor. Aunt Penny’s dress was beautiful! She had lacy sleeves with flowers all over it, her hair pulled tight in a bun, with a tiara. When the light hit her hair just right, Rayne was able to see it had sparkles in it. Rayne remembered her mother calling the dress a “mermaid” dress. But the dress didn’t look like a mermaid to her at all. Aunt Haley did everyone’s makeup and Aunt Emily made all the dresses and suits. It was fun when Aunt Emily had Rayne pick out what fabrics she wanted, and how she wanted her own dress to look like.

Uncle Sam was like a prince, his normally spiky hair now slicked back. He even wore white gloves, just like the princes do in the movies.

Normally, the area where the wedding party was being held (she believed she heard her mommy called it a re-cep-tion?) was where the town held the flower dance. Daddy didn’t seem to like the flower dance, but it was one of Rayne’s favorite festivals. Everyone wore pretty dresses and danced. It was like a huge ball. But today, the area was being used for Penny and Sam's wedding.

Rayne’s mother and father each grabbed one of her hands, leading her to one of the tables. Rayne watched in awe as the newly married couple danced. It was truly magical.

“Mommy, daddy?” Rayne tugged on her parents’ arms, “What was your wedding like?”

The couple smiled; eyes soft. “I think I remember your mother crying.” Her father said with a light chuckle.

“Don’t act like you didn’t cry too.” Her mother teased back.

Rayne rested her elbows on the table, head in her hands. She watched as Uncle Sam gave Aunt Penny a twirl, the two of them laughing. “Did mommy look like a princess?”

Her father looked to her mother, cheeks rosy, “Prettier than a princess.”

Rayne watched as her mother hid her face with her hands. It made her father’s smile brighter. “Well, your father looks quite handsome in a suit.” She said back, “I just wished he’d wear one more.”

“Luna,” Her father laughed, “Where am I going to wear a suit?”

She gave a shrug, “Dunno. But I’d like to see you in one more often.”

When the dance ended, everyone clapped. Uncle Sam gave Aunt Penny a kiss on the lip, and Rayne turned away, wrinkling her nose in disgust. Not that looking at her parents were any better. Why were grown-ups so gross?

Uncle Sam announced that the dance floor was now open to everyone. Rayne beamed, looking to her parents. “Let’s dance!”

“I’ll let you and your mother do that.” Her father sat back in his chair. But Rayne wasn’t having it. She jumped out her chair, grabbing her father’s hand, and tugged on him. He wasn’t budging, but it didn’t stop her from trying.

“Please daddy?” She pleaded, sticking her bottom lip out in what she hoped was a puppy dog pout.

“Now Sebby.” Her mother placed her hand on her hip, lip twitching into a smile, “How can you say no to a face like that?”

He couldn’t, and Rayne knew it. Her father let out a loud and exaggerated sigh, standing to his feet, allowing his daughter to lead him to the dance floor. Rayne grabbed her mother’s hand on the way. At first, only Rayne was dancing, while her parents simply watched on, amused smiles on their faces. Uncle Sam had come over, giving Rayne a twirl, making her giggle in surprise.

“Hey there Rayne-bow!” He said with a smile.

“Uncle Sam!” Rayne laughed, hugging his legs, “Happy wedding day!”

Sam placed his hand on his heart, “D’aww, thanks! That means a lot coming from you.”

The music suddenly changed from upbeat and energetic, to something softer and slower. Rayne didn’t recognize it, but looking at her parents' faces, they seemed to have.

“Well,” Sam grinned, picking up Rayne into his arms, placing her on his hip, “Look at that. Isn’t this the song you two danced to at your wedding?” He asked, his smile full of mischief, “Huh. What a coincidence.” Before her parents had time to answer, Sam simply carried Rayne away with a cackle. Looking back, she watched as her father shyly held out his hand for her mother. She smiled back, taking his hand into hers, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. They came together swaying gently to the music. Her mother must have said something into her father’s ear because his cheeks became rosy as she laughed.

It made Rayne smile.

* * *

By the end of the night, Rayne was exhausted, and Sebastian had to carry her home. She had fallen asleep on his shoulder. Luna smiled at the sight, walking a few paces behind them with her heels in her hand. Her feet ached, and she was looking forward to just collapsing into her bed.

Once they reached Rayne’s room, the couple dressed her in her favorite nightgown, tucking her into bed. Luna made sure to tuck her in with her favorite stuffed bunny. It was a gift from Grandpa James, and Rayne never went a single night without sleeping with it. Sebastian turned on her night light before kissing his daughter on the forehead.

The couple slowly made their way out of the room, gently closing the door. They made their way into their bedroom, taking off their wedding party clothes, and getting dressed in more comfortable pajamas.

“She’s too precious,” Luna said, getting under the covers.

“Yeah.” Sebastian laid on his side, eyes closed. For a moment, Lune thought he might have fallen asleep. She realized otherwise when he spoke up again, “What do you think…” He paused, eyes now open, looking to her with such intensity, it almost took her breath away, “About having another one?”

That caught Luna off guard. Sebastian seemed to have noticed her surprise, “I mean, we don’t have to try any time soon, it’s just…”

“You’ve been thinking about it?” Luna smiled softly. Truthfully, she had been thinking about it too. Luna grew up with a twin, so she always had a sibling to play with. The two were inseparable when they were kids. The thought of another little one running around with Rayne made her heart warm.

“Yeah.” Sebastian cleared his throat, “I mean, we’ll have to think about it first.”

“Oh definitely.” Luna had scooted her way closer to Sebastian’s side.

“I mean, a second kid would be a lot of work.”

“Mmhm.” Luna placed a kiss on Sebastian’s neck.

“And…” He paused at the sensation of Luna’s lips on his jaw, “And, um, I mean, we’re pretty well off, so money's no big deal.”

Luna was now trailing kisses down his neck to his collar bone.

“Luna?”

“Hm?”

“What are you doing?”

Luna looked up to him, a smile rivaling that of the Cheshire Cat decorating her face, “Trying to seduce you.” The mischief never left her sparkling eyes, “Is it working?”

His answer was to simply roll over on top of her, capturing her lips with his. When he pulled away, he whispered in her ear, “You’re a little _too_ good at that.”

Luna gave a light laugh as she felt him kiss at her neck. He sat up and looked at her, and she gave him, what she hoped, was a seductive smile, “So, you going to stare at me all night, or are you going to—”

Sebastian captured her lips in another kiss before she could finish. She simply laughed into it, pulling him in closer. Needless to say, the two did not get much sleep that night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay. Now it's the end. For real this time.


End file.
